Risk: Eric Love Story (Divergent)
by PhoenixRenee1405
Summary: I seek courage, coward-less acts and bravery. I seek to better the world by preparing its Physical, emotional and mental attributes. I am Dauntless


**Eric**

**I seek courage, coward-less acts and bravery. I seek to better the world by preparing its Physical, emotional and mental attributes.**  
**I am Dauntless**

**My hair is long, touching my waist, but I always opted to have it up in a high pony tail, to keep it out of my face. This is especially true when entering and exiting the train. You don't want to miss the platform because your hair is in your face. So that was why mine was always that way. But today it is down, casting a veil of black over my shoulders and back. I wore a tight black T shirt and spandex pants, tight enough and movable enough for whatever the test might be. It's best to be prepared for anything since we aren't actually aloud to prepare for the aptitude tests, which were today. But really, how bad could it be? No one ever dies, so it couldn't be that bad. We aren't allowed to talk about it, but no one ever comes out traumatised. Maybe they just asked us a series of questions, maybe it was a physical test. Though, the later seemed improbable by the size of the testing rooms.**  
**Soon, I was standing out on top of the pit awaiting the arrival of the train. I wasn't the only one, all of those who were under the age of 16 were out here waiting. Soon, a horn sounded and the crowd began to push towards the edge of the building. The train slowed, but it wasn't going to stop. Being as daring as I am, I closed my eyes and held my hand out, feeling the train brush against my fingertips and jumped blindly. For a moment, it was pure exhilarating adrenaline, then the floor of the train came into contact with my feet and I rolled into a seated position against the wall. My friends cheered and began trying the same, but I never cared to watch them. I was always one of the first aboard, purely because I didn't want the burden of seeing those who missed the train and plummeted a hundred feet to the earth below and their deaths. It wasn't something I wanted dwelling in my mind. Thankfully, that didn't happen today. I heard the usual whoops and cheers as people tried different ways of jumping on. Getting off is the best though.**  
**Wind brushed through my hair, whipping it around and again making me thankful that it wasn't in my face. Most of the more experienced jumpers were still standing, a single hand against a wall for support as turbulent winds hit them. The younger ones, or those who were over that rush, stayed seated on the wall.**

**The train honked again a bit later, signalling the approach of the school. The train began to slow again, not stopping, as the dauntless prepared for their departure. I stood to the back of the cart, the rest of my mates making a path for me. As the time arrived, I ran forward, did a round off and back flipped off the cart. I landed on my feet, before diving to the right to stop my ankles and feet from jarring. I stood and turned to watch the rest jump off. It was the easiest and most people showed off then. It was safest too, and it is very rare for a fatal incident when getting off. The odd few, though, trip on the cart and get sucked under the train. A quick and painless death for most.**  
**I headed off towards the school, not waiting for the others, playing lightly with my tongue piercing. It was addictive. In total, I have 15 piercings; two in my belly button, 5 in each ear, one in my tongue, one in my lip, on the top, left side and one in my nose on the right. As well as that, I have six tattoos. An anchor on my left thumb, a spider on my right hand, the dauntless symbol on my hip, flames next to my belly button, a mother daughter Tattoo on my foot to symbolise my late mother and a bow on my ring finger. Most I got because they were pretty. The flames show my fear of burning to death, which I overcame and the anchor, of drowning. Pretty simple really.**

**Classes were cut in half for the day in order for them to still be attended while allotting time after lunch for the aptitude tests. I was so eager the day sort of rushed by and the next thing I knew, I was sitting outside the ten rooms used sorely for this purpose. 8 Abnegation volunteers sat behind those doors as well as an Erudite volunteer and a Dauntless volunteer to test those from Abnegation so that they didn't breach the rule that none shall be tested by a volunteer of their own faction.**

**I should explain the factions to you before we continue. That is kind of important to the story.**  
**A long time ago, there was a Great War and many lives were lost. To create peace, it was decided that factions will be made that focus on the opposite attribute they held at fault for the war. For example, Dauntless saw cowardice was at fault and so, the strive to achieve fearlessness and courage; Erudite saw ignorance at fault and so, sought to possess endless knowledge; Amity blamed aggression and combat that by living in peace and equalism; those who blamed Duplicity created Candor who correct it by being bluntly honest; finally Abnegation blamed selfishness and so eradicate it by being selfless.**

**So there you have it! Now back to the story...**

**Names were being called in reverse alphabetical order, meaning I was going to be in the very first group.**  
**An Abnegation volunteer steps up to read the first round of names. My name was the very first. "From Dauntless: Zania Young and Ryan Yip"**  
**I stood up from my seat proudly, pushing Ryan away playfully who had punched me eagerly. I didn't even bother listening to the other names. I walked into room one, making eye contact with the Abnegation man before me.**  
**"I'm-"**  
**"I don't need to know. Let us just get this over with." I snapped, leaving the man to glare at me openly, looking around the room separated and lined with mirrors. They reflected me from every angle. Showed without spare, every contour of my body, Biden underneath the tight fabric of my clothes. The ceiling was blindingly white and the lights reflected off of it painfully in my eyes. A metal machine sat in the centre of the room with many wires situated around. A reclined chair, much like that of a dentists, sat beside it, almost invitingly. All in all, it looked like it was made for observation or, if I let my mind wander to such horrifying things, torture.**

**The man, who had since stopped glaring at me, instructed for me to be seated onto the chair without any wish of comfort. I rolled my eyes and took the seat, reclining back to stare at the ceiling. In my peripheral vision, I could see the man, clad in the uniform Abnegation grey, walking around me, attaching electrodes to my temples and his own, as well as preparing a syringe and needle with a strange looking liquid that was more than likely adapted by the Erudite. They invented almost all of the new inventions we use today, for they have the knowledge. The man gently moved my head to the side, no matter how much he wanted to rip it across, because that was what the Abnegation are like. Selfless beings. Slowly, he pushed the needle into my neck, injecting the liquid into my veins. I didn't ask why, I just let it happen. I slipped unconscious.**

**I found myself standing back in the cafeteria, although not a moment had passed. All the tables were gone, replaced by a single one before me. Two baskets sat atop of the table, each containing different things. On the left, a block of cheese and on the right, a large knife.**  
**"Choose." A familiar robotic voice echoed through the room, instructing me. Both choices may have different courses, but I felt drawn to the knife. It was a haven for Dauntless kids like myself. It gave me safety and comfort. So without a second thought, I wrapped my hand around the handle of the knife and pulled it out to the ready.**  
**The table disappeared and I was left alone. That was until I heard very faint pattering of feet. I turned just as the beast bared its teeth and let out a low, deep guttural growl from the back of its throat. I breathe in the smell of the dog's foul breath and try not the think of what it just ate. It had no whites in its eyes, just and endless pit of black. But it didn't scare me. I continued to breathe steady and stare at the beast directly in the eyes to antagonise it, try and evoke a response, before launching the knife, embedding it right between the eyes. The dog whimpered one last time before falling to the ground, motionless and limp. It was dead.**

**I expected for there to be another stage, but that was it. I opened my eyes and blinked several times, finding myself back in the aptitude testing room. The Abnegation man sat behind the desk, tapping on a screen as he took the electrodes out of his head. He did the same to me while saying a single word.**  
**"Dauntless"**  
**To say I was relieved would be an understatement. I sighed and laughed a bit as a warm wave of relief washed over my body. I was giddy and happy, completely excited that everyone was wrong. It was simple and I was exactly where I wanted to be. I am Dauntless.**

**I walk from the room proudly, a small smirk present on my face and the Dauntless cheer, for I am the first to exit. Followed soon by an Erudite boy that I paid no mind too. I decided to stay back and wait for the rest of my faction, seeing as the train doesn't come till a bit later. After about 30 minutes, 12 of my faction had been and gone through the simulation and so, decided to race each other up the metal structure outside the school. We mostly did it to show off to the other factions, but being bored shitless can lead to a challenge like this. First up was a girl named Aria White and a boy named Deric Whinnum. Deric was a sturdy boy with a lot of muscle who often showed up a lot of our faction with his already developed skills in hand to hand combat. But a lot of it was luck and also his intimidation by his large frame. Aria, however, was tall, skinny and light, giving her the advantage in this situation. We had marked a spot about a third of the way up the structure, since no one had made it to the top in two years, not since one of our new faction leaders by the name of Eric had achieved it in a record 9 minutes and 43 seconds. But today, I planned I reach the top and smash his record. It was my last day here after all and I wasn't going to leave this unfinished.**  
**Deric and Aria began, Deric gaining the lead because Aria decided to step back and get a run up. She launched and giving cover almost a half of the structures height, before getting tired. Deric was worse off, however. Having to lug his massive frame and weight up such a steep structure definitely used a lot of energy and just as he passed the halfway mark, he fell and landed in the awaiting arms of other Dauntless boys who acted as a net. Aria won.**  
**I was next.**  
**I stood at the bottom of the structure, side by side with a boy named Jason Vorn. He was thinner than Deric, but still muscly, enough to give him an advantage over me, but it would be superfluous. I was thin and had amazing core muscles and upper body strength which was constantly underestimated. As soon as Ryan yelled go, we were off. I took hold of an out stretching beam and pulled myself up and onto it, giving me already a large gap to Jason. I jumped against the wall, my fingers griping tightly to a small ledge. I swung to my left where there was a larger beam and hooked my legs around it, letting my arms go so that I was upside down. I glanced at Ryan who was watching his watch closely. I pulled myself up, just reaching half way. I took in a deep breath. I leaped out, just catching a ledge by the tips of my fingers. My left hand slipped and fell down beside me, leaving me hanging by the tips if my right hand. I grunted and pulled my left hand back up, followed by my right hand as I began to climb up small crooks and ledges along the structure, using just my arms. I reached the three quarter mark, hearing the growing crowd of Dauntless cheering, with Ryan's voice echoing up with "5 minutes 42!"**  
**I pushed myself harder. I pulled my body up to another ledge, my arms beginning to tire greatly. I felt the pull of each muscle, my core muscles contracted tightly to support my body. Another beam stretched out and I swung my legs up to it, but missed the first time and nearly loosened my trip on a crook. I swung again, this time wrapping my legs around securely. I pulled my body up to a sitting position on the beam. I was very tired and breathing quite heavily. I could hear a loud ringing in my ears and he muffled vices of my faction calling my name. I want to give up. The pain is too great in my arms, my legs and my stomach. I was about ready to climb back down, but something stopped me. I looked to my left, seeing an Abnegation girl staring at me in awe. I couldn't really explain her other than her typical Abnegation looks, but the twinkle in her eyes urged me on. She had a faint smile on her lips, a curious and awestricken look upon her face.**

**She believed in me and that was all I needed.**

**I called out in pain as I pushed myself up into my feet, knowing my time was fading away. I could see the top of the structure from where I stood. I was cutting it close. I gathered all of my Dauntless courage and bravery and jumped, reaching out for the ledge.**  
**I was suspended in the air for what felt like eternity. The ledge was coming closer and closer. The earth was silent and that girl's eyes were wide with fear and worry. I stretched out, my fingers spread as wide as they would go. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the ledge to fall into my grasp. But it didn't.**

**One time, I was climbing the rock wall in the pit at the Dauntless compound and I fell. It was like all the air was pushed from my lungs, especially at impact. I hit the ground hard and i was dizzy.**

**That's what it feels like now. My eyes flashed open, the ledge slipping just past my grasp, but I wasn't going to fall. No, it could be fatal. Instead, I screamed and pushed my right arm further, grasping the ledge by the tips of my fingers. I screamed as I slammed against the structure, a bump in the metal sticking into my abdomen. It would definitely bruise. Dauntless kids and others who came to watch gasped and yelled out in horror. I puffed out all the air I had left and breathed in deeply, yelling as I pulled myself up over the edge, first with my stomach resting on the edge. I still had to get my legs up, but my body was numb. I had next to no strength left. I could barely hear the crowd calling my name, and it was no longer just the Dauntless. The girl in the window was still there, she too, calling my name. With a yell of determination, I pulled the rest of my body up, the crowd going wild.**

**I, Zania Young, have made it.**  
**I did what most can't do.**  
**I made it too the top.**  
**I am Dauntless.**

**I stood to my feet, tired beyond belief, but I did. I pumped my fist into the air, revelling in the chants of happiness and excitement from my peers. They will congratulate me for days. They will remember me.**  
**As long as I beat the time.**  
**Ryan stepped up on the base of the structure, a megaphone in hand, facing the crowd.**  
**"Ladies and gentlemen," He called, drawing everyone's attention immediately. He held a small slip of paper in his hand. When did this become so formal? "Zania Young!"**  
**Once again screams and chants erupted, everyone feeling the excitement and anticipation running through them like adrenaline. "Zania set out today to beat the previous Dauntless record of 9 minutes and 43 seconds by our very own faction leader, Eric!"**  
**People from Dauntless cooed out variations of 'oohs' and 'ahs'. It was a strange feeling, knowing that right now, I was being compared to Eric. He made this look easy. "Zania's performance today proved her bravery and courage, both characteristics of Dauntless personality!" Ryan continued, as if he had done this plenty of times before. But as far as I knew, he wasn't the one who did Eric's speech. "The time to beat was 9 minutes and 43 seconds. Zania did it in..." Ryan began, dragging on the suspense as he crowd falls deadly silent. I suddenly noticed in the distant a boy, leaning against a building at the edge of the school. I couldn't make him out though. "9 minutes..." Again he pauses for effect. My palms are sweating, my breathing laboured as nerves wrack my body. Goosebumps appear on my tan skin. "And 12 seconds, Zania beat the record!"**  
**I screamed at the top of my lunges along with everyone else. Happy tears mixed with my unnoticed painful ones as I fell to my knees with glee. I looked over to the girl in the window and smiled, silently thanking her. She seemed confused, but clapped anyway. "I ask that everyone, no matter the faction, join in a Dauntless tradition of a leap of faith performed by the climber. They jump off the top as those down here make a human net to catch them. Gather in a circle and hold your arms out, taking one in each hand to create a web."**  
**If the nerves gave me goosebumps before, what I saw before me made chills fall over my spine. Everyone, from all factions moved together as one. More tears fell silently down my face at this sign of friendship and communal harmony. It binds us together and makes us look I breakable.**  
**I sucked in a breath and jumped, spreading out like I was flying. I felt free and as I fell into the entanglement of arms, I felt comforted and loved.**  
**The man by the building had left.**  
**The girl in the window had left.**  
**And I felt at peace.**

**Later that night, I sat in the dining hall with other member of my faction, celebrating my great feat. Members clapped me on the back and tossed me in the air while fellow faction fledglings like myself cheered and called out the record time in glee. It was an eventful night.**

**Everyone stood in a circle of the five factions, surrounding a smaller circle of glass bowels, holding a representing object of each faction. Gray stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, earth for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless and glass for Candor. The responsibility of conducting the choosing ceremony rotates through the five factions, and this year it was the Abnegation's turn. Once the man calls my name, I will stand and walk to the centre of the bowls, take the knife offered to me and with a proud grin, cut my palm and drip my blood into the faction of my choosing.**  
**Many of the other 16 year olds were visited by their parents before the ceremony began, but not me. I stood alone, surrounded by happy families because I didn't have one. Both my parents died jumping the train a few years ago. They decided to try together and when my mum tripped and fell, she pulled my dad down with her.**  
**They were dead the second they hit the ground.**  
**It doesn't bother me anymore.**  
**Soon, everyone was seated and the ceremony began.**  
**Marcus, the Abnegation man running the ceremony, stands at the podium between the Erudite and the Dauntless and clears his throat into the microphone. "Welcome," he says. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world"**  
**I felt chills go over my spine. It sounded like such a great responsibility when put like that. What if we chose wrong?**  
**"Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be." Marcus's voice is solemn and gives equal weight to each word. "Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind's inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world's disarray."**  
**For me, I believed that cowardice was the problem. That people didn't have the guts to stand up for what they believed in.**  
**"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity."**  
**The Amity exchange smiles. They are dressed comfortably, in red or yellow. I didn't really associate myself with them, but they seem rather, mystic and free. "Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite." Erudite were probably the most advanced of the factions, but suffered from arrogance because of it. "Those who blamed duplicity created Candor." And so they became smart ass' that can't keep their mouth shut. "Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation." An understandable trait. To be selfish was to wish all upon yourself. "And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless.**  
**Many Dauntless people grinned amongst each other, and I was one of them.**  
**"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counselors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life."**  
**Faction before Blood stands out in my mind as Marcus reads this passage. Out Factions were where we belonged. They became our family.**  
**Marcus adds, "Apart from them, we would not survive." The silence that follows his words is heavier than other silences. It is heavy with our worst fear, greater even than the fear of death: to be factionless. Marcus continues, "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion—the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world." A round of applause erupts from the crowd. That's when the names began. One by one, the 16-year-olds are called up to chose their factions. And luckily for me, I was one of this first.**  
**"Zania Young." Marcus calls and with pride, I march up to the bowls. With my right hand I took the knife, slid it across my left palm and thrust it out, dropping the blood into the Coals without a second thought.**  
**I am Dauntless.**  
**"James Tucker," Marcus says. James Tucker of the Dauntless is the first person to stumble on his way to the bowls. He throws his arms out and regains his balance before hitting the floor. His face turns red and he walks fast to the middle of the room. When he stands in the center, he looks from the Dauntless bowl to the Candor bowl—the orange flames that rise higher each moment, and the glass reflecting blue light. Marcus offers him the knife. He breathes deeply and, as he exhales, accepts the knife. Then he draws it across his palm with a jerk and holds his arm out to the side. His blood falls onto glass, and he is the first of us to switch factions. The first faction transfer. I narrow my eyes at him. Sure, his transfer wasn't exactly a surprise. Right from a child James had shown characteristics of someone not cut out for Dauntless. Every time he got hurt he would hide away and cry for days. He wasn't brave. He hated jumping from the train. It was only a matter of time.**  
**When the last of the 16 year olds had chosen their factions, it was time to leave and like always, the Dauntless lead the way. And I lead them. I walked proudly at the front of the group, smiling and thanking those who congratulated us. As soon as the stairs came into sight, I began running with the rest of my faction following suit. We ran up the street as around the corner just as the horn of the train sounded. I continued to run and just as the first cart passed me, I did an aerial into it, landing perfectly on my feet. I turned to watch the other initiates, especially the transfers, to see how they do. Of course, their first jump will be rough, but not as rough as the departure.**  
**Before I said getting off was the easiest right? Well not this time. This time they will be jumping into a building that is 7 stories into the air. Someone is going to lose their life; they always do.**  
**"Someone warn the transfers. They are going to need to be prepared." I order, knowing that someone will acknowledge it. I am not sure why, but people tend to listen to me. I was told once it was because I was a natural born leader, and I liked the sound of it, but something about leading people churned the nerves in my stomach. Would I be like many before me who crashed under the pressure or craved more power and were corrupted? A friend of mine, Uriah, smiled and took of to the back carts where the transfers were certain to be. The ride was guaranteed to be at least twenty minutes, but by the looks of things, we aren't taking the direct route so that could add a minimum of ten minutes.**  
**Uriah returned soon after.**  
**"They're panicking like drowning rats." He laughed at his own lame simile, but it worked well enough. Of course they were going to panic. I decided to head back there myself, telling Uriah to warn me before we get to the building.**  
**The second I walk into their cart, I knew there were few true Dauntless.**  
**"We have to jump off too, then," a Candor girl says. She has a large nose and crooked teeth.**  
**"Great," a Candor boy replies, "because that makes perfect sense, Molly. Leap off a train onto a roof."**  
**"This is kind of what we signed up for, Peter," the girl points out.**  
**"Listen to you all," I started, eyebrows furrowed and with a shake of my head, "we haven't even made it to the compound and you're already cowering from a risk. Pathetic."**  
**"And who do you think you are?" The Peter boy spat. He was tall and quite muscly. Definitely built for Dauntless, but his attitude was not.**  
**"Someone who has been doing this long enough to know that this jump will be one of the easiest things you will do in this faction. Don't think you can handle it then you better stay on board the train. This jump takes the lives of even the most experienced Dauntless so if you haven't got the guts to do it then don't. Because inside that compound you will be living your darkest fears. Think about that." I retorted harshly. "You chose this Faction, so suck it up, eat a spoon of concrete and get over yourself."**  
**I left the cart before anyone could reply. Uriah was standing on the other side of the door, smirking at me while leaning against the wall.**  
**"That's why we love you, Zah. Straight to the point." He teased, following me back to the front cart. I sneered at him as the building came into view. We prepared to jump. Most of us started bouncing on our feet to prepare. The second the roof arrived, we jumped. Nothing to fancy because there were too many people on the roof to have any room to recover. I was the first one off, followed by Uriah.**  
**"We finally get to see the-" Uriah was cut of by a deadly scream. We turn around seeing Rita screaming at the top of her lungs and sobbing. I knew without looking that someone didn't make it. And it would be someone I knew. But I didn't look and I didn't console her. They chose this, they have to put up with the consequences.**  
**Max, one of five Dauntless leaders, stands at the edge of the roof, surrounded by many members. Finally, the members entrance.**  
**""Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" shouts a man at the other end of the roof. He is older than the others, with deep creases in his dark skin and gray hair at his temples, and he stands on the ledge like it's a sidewalk. Like someone didn't just fall to her death from it.**  
**"Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first." "You want us to jump off a ledge?" asks an Erudite girl.**  
**"Didn't he just say that?" I retort, honestly sick of the transfers stupidity. They just jumped off of a train. Why is this any more surprising? "Yes," Max says. He looks amused.**  
**"Is there water at the bottom or something?"**  
**"Who knows?" He raises his eyebrows.**  
**The crowd splits in half, making a wide path for us. I keep my eyes on the stiff, who looks like she would be eager. She seems to know a bit about this sort of thing. As I expected, she walks forward to jump, so I step up beside her. The Abnegation girl looked at me, shocked.**  
**"Let's jump together. I ah, have a reputation of being a leader." I say, rubbing the back of my neck. The girl visibly relaxed and nodded, stripping her grey shirt off, earning cat calls and shouts. I laughed as her cheeks turned red with blood blush.**  
**I held my hand out to her. "Zania."**  
**"Beatrice." She replied, shaking my hand rather hesitantly. That was when I remembered Abnegation's don't like physical contact. But Dauntless do and she is Dauntless now. I took a hold of her hand and stepped back, giving us room to run. Beatrice gasped as I ran forward, pulling her with me and jumped, spinning in a circle while holding both her hands, so we were flat in the air as if skydiving. Soon, Beatrice was laughing with me as we fell into the black hole.**  
**I felt the impact and then as if being engulfed. The net at the bottom to catch us knocks the breath out of me briefly, but not as bad as a net of arms does, so I recover quickly. I grab hold of Lauren's hand, an instructor here for initiates, and allow her to pull me out while Four, another instructor and systems operator, pulls out Beatrice. She seems almost entranced by him for a few moments.**  
**"Can't believe it," Lauren says, shaking her head briefly. A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of." "There's a reason why she left them, Lauren," Four says. His voice is deep, and it rumbles. "What's your name?"**  
**"Um …" Beatrice hesitates. "Think about it," he says, a faint smile curling his lips. "You don't get to pick again."**  
**"Tris," She says firmly.**  
**I smile at Beatrice-Tris happily. She was perfect for Dauntless. She was her own person. She knew who she was and what she wanted.**  
**"Make the announcement Four." Lauren says as we step forward towards a crowd.**  
**"First jumpers - Zania and Tris!" Four shouts over his shoulder.**  
**They cheer and pump their fists, and then another person drops into the net. Her screams follow her down. She was a Candor girl and made a very good choice.**  
**After all the initiates jump, Lauren and Four lead us down through the compound in the direction of the pit. I just hope we don't have to sit through a tour of the place. It isn't long until we stop and Lauren and Four turn to face us.**  
**"This is where we divide," Lauren says. "The Dauntless-born initiates, except for Zania, are with me. Zania, Max orders you to be with Four. I assume the rest you don't need a tour of the place."**  
**"What? Why do I have to stay with the transfers? Four is fully capable of handling them himself." I argue. I guess I probably shouldn't if Max ordered it himself, but I couldn't help it. What good could it possibly do by having me with the transfers? Lauren didn't answer me though. She just smiled and beckoned the other Dauntless-Born to follow her.**  
**"Most of the time I work in the control room but for the next few weeks I am your instructor." Four says, "My name is Four."**  
**The Erudite girl who jumped after Tris and I, asks, "Four? Like the number?"**  
**"Yes," Four says. "Is there a problem?"**  
**"No."**  
**"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It—"**  
**The Erudite girl snickers. "The Pit? Clever name."**  
**Four walks up to her and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her. "What's your name?" he asks quietly.**  
**"Christina," she squeaks.**  
**"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he hisses. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?" She nods.**  
**Four starts toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves on in silence.**  
**"What a jerk," she mumbles.**  
**"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at," Tris replies.**  
**"Or he is right. Don't like it, leave." I snap. That Christina girl really is starting to get on my nerves, but what other option do I have? I can't march up to Max and demand an answer, he has much more to deal with than a petty initiate. Maybe this will be good. I will definitely be the top of this group because I have done it all before. I smirk. Yes, maybe it will be a good thing.**  
**Four pushes a set of double doors open, and we walk into The Pit.**  
**"Oh," whispers Christina. "I get it."**  
**I give her a sharp look and she quickly shuts her mouth. Being Dauntless-Born, I'm pretty sure I must intimidate them somewhat, plus my little show on the train must have scared them. Peter, the Candor boy that snapped at me on the train, walked up beside me. He glanced out the corner of his eye at me, before holding out his hand.**  
**"I'm Peter." He says. I fold my hand into his and shake it firmly. He has a good handshake but then again, so do most boys of his stature.**  
**"Zania." I reply. He grins and nods.**  
**"I know. I watched you climb the structure outside the school." He says. If it wasn't a big event, I would have found him creepy. I just nod in reply. He was silent for a while after that.**  
**The Pit is an underground cavern so huge I can't see the other end of it from where I stand, at the bottom.**  
**Uneven rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities.**  
**Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side. A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls. Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and, above them, a building that lets in sunlight. Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths, similar to the ones that lit the Choosing room. They grow brighter as the sunlight dies.**  
**Four was right when he said that the transfers would grow to love the pit. I do. It is the perfect place to test your bravery. That is if you stick to the Pit and I have a feeling the next thing we will be looking at is the Chasm.**  
**If you follow me," says Four, "I'll show you the chasm."**  
**Yep. We follow Four over to the right side of the Pit where the light is dimmer. We approach the railing that stops us from falling over the side. The Chasm is a gushing pit of water where rapids roll and smash about on the side of the platform.**  
**"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned."**  
**"Is that true?" Peter whispers beside me. The right side of my lip pulls up in a sad expression and I nod.**  
**"Yes. It happens all too often for various reasons." I explain to him softly. Peter gulps and nods, looking over the edge one final time.**  
**Four leads us towards the dining room which is in the other side of the Pit. It is probably one of the most lit places in the whole compound. Glass plates and silverware clatter together amongst the chattering people inside. As we walk in, the room erupts into applause and chants, knowing this would happen, however, I was prepared. I smiled and waved as I made my way through the room, talking to various members that I knew and accepting their congratulations. By the time I made my way to the table the other initiates sat at, the only spot was either next to or across from Four. I took the latter.**  
**Tris eyes the hamburgers in the centre of the table strangely, pinching one between her fingers, unsure what to make of it. Four nudges her with his elbow.**  
**"It's beef," he says. "Put this on it." He passes Tris A small bowl full of tomato sauce. "You've never had a hamburger before?" asks Christina, her eyes wide.**  
**"No," Tris says "Is that what it's called?"**  
**"Stiffs eat plain food," Four says, nodding at Christina. "Why?" she asks.**  
**Tris shrugs. "Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and unnecessary."**  
**Christina smirks. "No wonder you left."**  
**"Yeah," Tris says, rolling her eyes. "It was just because of the food."**  
**I snort, trying to contain my laughter. Christina, as oblivious as she is, just smiles contently and continues eating. The edge of Four's lip pulls up in amusement.**  
**The doors to the cafeteria open and a hush falls over the crowd. That could only mean one thing. I look up and see Eric, one of the five Dauntless leaders, standing in the doorway. He catches me eyes very briefly before they move on. His footsteps echo through the silent room as he approaches the back of the room. That was until I notice he was heading directly for our table.**  
**Eric has many piercings in his face, but that's just in his eyebrows, lips and nose. It suits him though. His hair is long and black and his eyes, grey and cold.**  
**"Who's that?" hisses Christina. "His name is Eric," says Four. "He's a Dauntless leader." "Seriously? But he's so young." Four gives her a grave look. "Age doesn't matter here."**  
**"Keep your mouths shut and speak only if he speaks to you." I hiss to them quietly and sit up taller, signalling them to do so as well.**  
**Eric takes a seat right next to Four and catches my eye once again, but offers no greeting. I have never spoken to Eric before or for that matter, seen him up so close. He was a Dauntless leader and had better things to do than worry about children. At 18 years old, I'm sure he has never had a girlfriend.**  
**"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" he asks, nodding to Christina and Tris and his eyes once again catch mine. It sends a shiver down my spine. He has heard.**  
**This is the Eric who's record I smashed. And he knows about it.**  
**Four says, "This is Tris and Christina."**  
**"Ooh, a Stiff," says Eric, smirking at Tris. "We'll see how long you last."**  
**"She will last." I say before I can bite the words back and now that they are out there I don't stop. Even the sharp look Four gives me isn't enough. "She was the first jumper."**  
**Eric eyes me off again and then looks to Tris. I see in his eyes that he is almost impressed.**  
**"I'm Zania by the way, in case you were interested." I spat sarcastically, feeling somewhat offended that he didn't ask for my name. Eric raises an eyebrow at me.**  
**"Oh, I know who you are. 9 minutes and 12 seconds and also first jumper. Impressive." He comments. I almost thought against biting back and accepting the complement, but it wasn't in my nature.**  
**"Better than you." I smirk. I didn't know what I expected his reply to be, something harsh definitely, but instead he cracked a smile and laughed, something that shocked even Four.**  
**"What have you been doing lately, Four?" he asks.**  
**Four lifts a shoulder. "Nothing, really," he says.**  
**"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you."**  
**Four looks at Eric for a few seconds before saying, "Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."**  
**"So he wants to give you a job."**  
**Eric's right eye twitched ever so slightly. Perhaps he saw four as a potential threat to his position. A silly idea when you look at Eric's accomplishments. He was definitely suited for the position.**  
**"So it would seem," Four says. "And you aren't interested."**  
**"I haven't been interested for two years."**  
**"Well," says Eric. "Let's hope he gets the point, then."**  
**Eric claps Four on the back and then looks over at me, catching my eye. Eric leant over the table offering me his hand. After the initial shock, I took his hand and shook it firmly. "Zania."**  
**"Eric." I said as a simple goodbye. Eric's lip twitched at the side as he walked away. Four looked at me after he left. "That wasn't so bad." I said.**  
**"You're definitely Dauntless." Was all he said before turning back to Tris. I tried to sort out my thoughts.**  
**So, the emotionless and unpleasant Eric sat at our table. That much is easy to figure out, he was told by Max to talk to Four.**  
**He knew who I was. Again understandable since I smashed his record.**  
**But he teased me. He didn't even tease Four and he knew him.**  
**He shook my hand. He didn't do that to Tris or Christina.**  
**Maybe he is watching me. Maybe he is planning on getting back at me.**

**After dinner, the transfers and I wait outside the cafeteria for Four, but apparently that wasn't the case when Eric arrives and stands before us. He catches my eye and a shadow of a smirk graces his lips. I almost flinch under his stare. Without saying a word, he flicks his head for us to follow him. I, of course, follow immediately with the transfers coming up behind me. I had my arms crossed and my head bowed, so when Eric speaks to me in a low voice I jump.**  
**"Hey." He says. A shiver runs over my spine. His voice was enticingly low, probably to keep the initiates behind us from hearing.**  
**I look up at him and in an equally low voice, whisper, "Hello, Eric."**  
**"I understand this doesn't seem fair to you," Eric began, not even checking to make sure the initiates were behind us. Eric had one of those auras that made you do as he wants without saying a word. He was scary to say the least. "But I assure you there is a very good reason."**  
**"And what might that be?" I ask.**  
**"Max feels that if you could beat my record by such a margin maybe there are other comparable features as well. And since I'm supervising the transfers during training it would be a good chance to compare things." Eric explained. His talked rather casually compared to when he spoke with Four; high and dignified. He saw Four as a competitor while I was just a new initiate. I didn't pose a threat.**  
**"Well, I guess that kind of makes sense. And who says transfers won't have any skill. I mean, you're a Dauntless leader and you were Erudite, right?" As I say it, I wish I could take it back. Eric's eyes go hard and he backs off from me. I didn't notice till he moved that we were practically bumping shoulders. Perhaps Eric had a bad experience at Erudite. I don't know.**  
**Eric stops in front of a wooden door and folds his arms. I decide to step back and stand around him with the other initiates. "For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he says. "I am one of five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training."**  
**Even though I already knew this information, it makes me feel sick to my stomach. I was going to be compared against Eric and that thought alone was scary enough.**  
**"Some ground rules," he says. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. Zania, I expect you to make sure they are on time. Shouldn't be hard for you. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation."**  
**"Do you want them 30 seconds faster?" I grin, once again not thinking of the consequences. Eric smirks at me and without commenting, makes an airy snort. The kind when you try not to laugh or, like Eric, aren't the type to show amusement.**  
**"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," Eric adds. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks."**  
**"In the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you are already. So I expect—"**  
**"Rankings?" Squeaked a mousy haired Erudite girl. "Why are we ranked?"**  
**Eric smiles, and in the blue light, his smile looks wicked, like it was cut into his face with a knife. "Your ranking serves two purposes," he says. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available."**  
**I smirk and await for the second reason. Those of us who are Dauntless-Born know this already, it is drummed into our heads before initiation, but the shock of the transfers when they find out is always priceless.**  
**"The second purpose," he says, "is that only the top ten initiates are made members."**  
**They all freeze. It was like a momentary lapse in time, until Christina says "What?"**  
**"There are eleven Dauntless-borns, and nine of you," Eric continues. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test."**  
**The initiates will be cut in half by the end of the initiation and being Dauntless-Born, I have a huge a advantage. But there are a few people amongst the group of transfers that worry me. My friends will be getting cut to make way for them and I can only hope it's the ones I don't particularly like.**  
**"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter says.**  
**"You leave the Dauntless compound," says Eric indifferently, "and live factionless."**  
**The mousy-haired girl clamps her hand over her mouth and stifles a sob.**  
**"But that's … not fair!" the broad-shouldered Candor girl, Molly, says. Even though she sounds angry, she looks terrified. "If we had known—"**  
**"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric snaps. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."**  
**I smirk as I said the same to them on the train ride to the compound. Eric pushes the door to the dormitory open.**  
**"You chose us," he says. "Now we have to choose you."**  
**The initiates quickly make their way into the room to avoid being in Eric's presence any longer. I walk in last, knowing that I was the calmest out of this than anybody. But just as I reach the door, it swings shut in front of me.**  
**"Zania," Eric says, "Keep a close eye on them. Some will give you a run for your money."**  
**"I noticed," I mumbled, feeling the nerves of being alone with Eric hit me, "but what's life without a challenge."**  
**"That's a brave answer."**  
**"I'm a brave girl." I reply, meeting Eric's gaze steadily. His eyes, I noticed, were brighter than they were a moment ago, with pride? Or amusement?**  
**"Alright then. Goodnight." With that, Eric walked away and left me outside the dormitory. I walked in and seen everyone's eyes on me.**  
**"Did you know about this?" Peter demands the second I am in the doorway. I smirk and nod.**  
**"Of course I knew about it. I'm Dauntless-Born. I've seen what the initiation does to people." I retort, standing in the middle of the room with the others gather around.**  
**"You knew and you still stayed?" Asks Christina, her eyes wide.**  
**"Of course. I am Dauntless. Those of us who are Dauntless-Born knew what we risked coming into initiation and liked the challenge." I say. The mousy haired girl shook her head fearfully.**  
**"Listen closely," I order, waiting for everyone's attention to be on me, "People will become faction-less and people will die during initiation but you grow up and move on and learn to act through fear." I say wisely. A few of the transfers looked dazed, but others, like Tris and Peter, only look more determined. I grinned and moved to a bed kicking Molly out of her spot on the far side of the room next to the window so that I could sleep there.**  
**"Hay!" She exclaims, getting right in my face.**  
**"Problem? Because you and I both know ill come out of this as the winner." I meet her stare evenly, with hard eyes. Molly grunts and backs down, knowing that she is defeated. "Really? You don't even have the bravery to stand up for yourself!"**  
**Molly just ignores me and unpacks on a different bed. With a shake of my head, I strip down out of my clothing, ignoring the stares and gapes of the others and climb into bed in just my underwear. I was fast asleep before most were even in bed.**

**The following morning, I was up at 6:00, already dressed and ready for the day, kicking the beds of the other initiates. Many groaned and sat up complaining about the hour.**  
**"You have two hours until training commences. In that time you have to get dressed, ready and have eaten breakfast. Trust me, you don't want to skip any meals." I call loudly as I move from bed to bed. It only took a few minutes for everybody to be awake and moving. I grinned with satisfaction. This is why I lead. I am good at it. I waited for everyone to be ready and warned all the girls to have their hair up, before leading them out for breakfast. Most wouldn't have taken much notice of how we got to the dormitory, so I took the liberty of showing them back to the cafeteria where Four was already seated and eating.**  
**After we ate, he leads us down to the rifle range. Four motions to me to come to him, as he hands me a gun and tells me to get to practicing so that I wouldn't hear the same thing over and over again. But he doesn't start talking until after I fire my first round and grin as it hits centre, but I wobbled on my feet so I fixed it. That's how I work. Always adjusting, always correcting. I waited to fire my second round until after Four finished talking. I fired again, this time, steady on my feet, but the bullet was off centre, so again, I adjusted.**  
**I found myself beside Tris.**  
**She fired several rounds and neither hit the target. I felt the need to help her, but what good would it do me if she overtook my ranking? But then again, I could already shoot and no one else really came close.**  
**"Statistically speaking," the Erudite boy next to Tris - his name is Will—says, grinning at her, "you should have hit the target at least once by now, even by accident." He is blond, with shaggy hair and a crease between his eyebrows.**  
**"Is that so," She says without inflection.**  
**"Yeah," he says. "I think you're actually defying nature."**  
**I grin at his teasing, but I knew Tris didn't see it the way I did. She just turned back to her target with gritted teeth.**  
**She fires again and this time, hits the edge of the target. Tris turns to Will.**  
**"So you see, I'm right. The stats don't lie," he says.**  
**I giggle, drawing both of their attention to me. I drop the grin from my face as a flush rushes over my face. I decided now would be a good time to show of. Still looking at Will and Tris, I held my left hand out to the side and fired. Tris and Will looked over and gapes at the target. I turned and grinned with satisfaction. Dead centre.**

**We break for lunch at 12:00 with most of the transfers complaining about sore arms and ringing ears, but they'll get used to it. The second I walk into the cafeteria, I am wrapped securely in a tight hug and I didn't even need to look to know it was Uriah.**  
**"Oh marvellous leader," he begins dramatically, "we've been so lost without you."**  
**"What could you possibly do without me?" I ask in reply, Uriah laughing along with me. He takes my arm and leads me over to a table by the left hand side. I sit beside Uriah and across from Marlene, one of Uriah's 'girl friends'. But everyone knows they have a thing. It's the only reason I put up with her.**  
**"Oh Zania," she says, "I almost forgot about you since everyone else has."**  
**"Oh darling I'm sure they are all lost without me," I retort, "after all, everyone always follows me."**  
**"Not anymore," she hisses, "I've started leading everyone."**  
**"Oh please," Uriah butts in, "everyone is constantly asking when Zania can come back."**  
**Marlene gives him a sharp look to shut him up, but Uriah just ignores her. I smirk in triumph at her.**  
**"Oh shut up, Zania. If you had any speck of skill they wouldn't have stuck you in with transfers. I bet they are even better than you." Marlene snapped angrily.**  
**"Want to see my skill?" I ask, standing up to my feet. "Here."**  
**And with that, I pulled my elbow back beside my head and punched her square in the nose, leaving blood to gush from it. No one moved to help her. Even Uriah just smirked over in amusement. This kind of thing happens often in Dauntless so it never worries anyone. I stood from my seat and walked out of the cafeteria just as Four arrives to collect us.**  
**He leads us down to the combat arena. It's huge, with a wood floor that is cracked and creaky and has a large circle painted in the middle. On the left wall is a green board—a chalkboard.**  
**Our names are written on the board in alphabetical order. This is the fighting order. Lucky for me, I'm right at the very bottom and I'm certain Four won't make me fight any of them so soon.**  
**We all line up behind the punching bags with Four standing in the centre whet we can all see.**  
**"As I said this morning," says Four, "next you will learn how to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges—which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless."**  
**I could see a few of the boys, especially, Peter and his lackey, looking fairly eager to get started.**  
**"We will go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other," says Four. "So I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt."**  
**Four names a few different punches, demonstrating each one as he does, first against the air and then against the punching bag.**  
**I don't need to worry watching, but I do anyway, to correct and adjust my own stance. I may have been doing this my whole life but doesn't make me perfect.**  
**I have built a lot of muscle in my arms and legs, so when I kick the bag with the back of my heel, it swings to the right a decent height. I felt a bit unstable and so, practiced again and again until I got that kick right then moved on. Four walked past me and nodded, before moving on. I was at the very ends next to Peter, who didn't seem to be having much problem, either. But it was Edward, an Erudite transfer, who was worrying me. He looked like he has been doing this for ages, not an hour. His movements were almost perfect. I knew I had a run for my money here. I noticed that Eric, who said he was overseeing our training, hasn't been present all day.**  
**When Four dismisses us for dinner, I walk along side Tris and Christina as we walk down to the cafeteria.**  
**Al, who was in front of us, turns around once we reach the Pit and announces, "I want to get a tattoo." From behind us, Will asks, "A tattoo of what?" "I don't know." Al laughs. "I just want to feel like I've actually left the old faction. Stop crying about it." When we don't respond, he adds, "I know you've heard me." "Yeah, learn to quiet down, will you?" Christina pokes Al's thick arm.**  
**"It's ok, no one expected you to not miss home on the first night. Most people cried." I console him.**  
**"I think you're right. We're half in, half out right now. If we want all the way in, we should look the part." Christina gives Tris a look.**  
**"No. I will not cut my hair," she says "or dye it a strange color. Or pierce my face."**  
**"How about your bellybutton?" Christina says.**  
**"Or your nipple?" Will says with a snort. I laugh.**  
**"Face piercings don't even hurt much. And they look good." I retort. Christina laughed at me as Tris made a funny face. "Tongue piercings are good too." I stuck my tongue out for them to see. Will laughed and swung an arm over my shoulder. "Oh and since we are on the topic," I say, lifting my shirt to reveal my two belly button piercings, "I have two."**  
**Tris flushed and nodded, still seeming unsure but she'll come around.**  
**"This chick," says Will, "Is awesome."**  
**I giggled.**  
**"What are the tattoo flames for?" Al asked, now walking beside the rest of us. Will left is arm around my shoulder like good friends.**  
**"They symbolise my conquered fear of burning to death." I explain, scratching at a burn mark on my left arm.**  
**"How did you conquer it?" Christina asked. I smiled a sultry smile and held out my arm, showing the multitude of burn scars.**  
**"I had a burn suit on, but it failed and I received second degree burns all over my arm. It never really scared me after that." I smiled a sad smile as we entered the Pit.**  
**Christina announces that she in Tris will meet Will, Al and I at the tattoo parlour when I said I hated clothes shopping. She said I wasn't a true girl.**  
**I said I was Dauntless.**  
**Al got seated first while Will and I looked at tattoo designs.**  
**"What tattoos do you have already?" Will asks, looking over at me. I smile and put on a thinking face.**  
**"Ok, I have six tattoos already. I have these," I say, holding out my left hand. On my ring finger is the bow and on my thumb, an anchor. "The bow symbolises my tie to Dauntless, the anchor, my fear of drowning." I explain, before moving on to my right hand. "The spider was a running joke. A few months ago I got really sick from a spider bite right there." Will and I laughed as I lifted my shirt and turned to show the dauntless symbol. "Obvious reasons." I say before kicking off my shoe and pulling down my sock to show my mother daughter tattoo. "I got that one for my late mother. And you already know about the flames."**  
**"Cool," Will grins, looking at another design in the book, "do you mind me asking what happened to your mum?"**  
**"Not at all. She and my dad died being show offs jumping onto the train from the top of the Pit five years ago." I say, looking at a black tattoo of a father throwing his daughter in the air like parents do. "I'm thinking of getting this for my dad."**  
**"It matches the one for your mum." Will states, running his finger over the picture. I smile and nod, staring at the picture too, and sealed the deal. 2 minutes later, I was seated in a chair with a tattoo gun pressed to my foot. Al sat beside me, watching to see my reaction, but there wasn't one. I just sat, reading through a magazine as if I was getting my nails done. I got over the pain a while ago. The ink shouldn't take too long, it isn't a large tattoo, so Al should be in my place by the time Tris and Christina get here.**  
**I was right.**  
**Tris and Christina got here almost an hour later. My tattoo was done and I was seated on a couch with Will, my legs kicked up over his.**  
**"What are you guys doing?" Christina asked as she walked over. Will was massaging my foot with a sour face.**  
**"My foot was sore so I made him massage it." I said with fake pain. Will scophed.**  
**"You can't even feel it." He muttered under his breath but made no move to stop or push me off. I didn't stay though. I pet Will get up to go with Christina to look at designs.**  
**"Guys I am heading down to hang out with some friends of mine. I will see you later." I say as I stand, cracking my back and leaving. As expected, I found Uriah and the others over by the chasm, but as I made my way over, a firm hand grabbed my arm. I span around ready to punch them, but Eric's pierced face came into view. He glanced at my fist.**  
**"You're lucky that didn't hit me." He grumbled, pulling me roughly down the hallway towards the gun range. "Come on, I want to see what you can do."**  
**We walked silently. I thought about what he might get me to do and started to worry. Eric was known for his sadistic ways.**  
**When we arrived, Eric handed me a gun and took one for himself. I loaded my gun silently and got into position. Eric glanced at me and fired his first shot. It hit just a tad to the left but still center. I fired one round, and hit the centre target, just off center to the right. Eric raised his eyebrow at me and shot with one hand. I decided to show off and did as I did earlier that day, I kept my eyes on Eric and stretched my right hand out and fired, hitting the center target again. Eric had a ghost of a smile. He did the same. We were matched.**  
**"I will admit," He says, "you're good."**  
**"Thank you." I smile. Eric runs his eyes over my face and mutters a 'hm' before leading me out of the room. Just outside, he stopped.**  
**"Good night." Eric says simply, before walking in the other direction. I muttered a night to myself before heading back to transfer initiates dormitory. When I arrived, Christina was still awake.**  
**"Where have you been?" She asked tiredly, a yawn escaping through her lips. I walked over to my bed as she spoke, preparing it for bed.**  
**"I was out with old friends, I told you that." I replied, slipping my shirt off over my head. Christina didn't look convinced though.**  
**"Your friend Uriah asked us if we had seen you, though." She replied, now sitting up in her bed. I sighed and turned to face her, my arms crossed in front of my chest.**  
**"I have more friends than just Uriah. Besides, since when was it any of your business." I snapped, sliding my shorts off and climbing into bed. Christina just scoffed and rolled over to face the wall. With a roll of my eyes, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.**

**"Since I will not make anyone fight Zania today, she will be up against me for demonstration. That leaves an odd number so one of you won't be fighting." Four says as he steps away from the board with the pairings. He gives Tris a look. She doesn't have a partner. Good thing too. She was the smallest initiate, meaning she needed more work. Maybe I could help her sometime. This of course means possibly risking my own ranking, but then there would be no competition and something inside me felt strange about Tris. Something about her made people, like the leader's, uneasy.**  
**"I want to fight her." I hard voice calls over from across the room. A familiar voice I had come accustomed to in the last two days. I look over my shoulder as Eric walks towards me with an emotionless demeanour. Much like he normally was, but I have seen snippets of another side of him that a part of me urged for more of.**  
**"Is that really a good idea?" Four asked, almost nervously. I don't know why, if I can hold my own against Four, Eric shouldn't be too much harder. Then again, Eric is a leader and is a lot more ruthless than Four. My judgment may be a bit clouded by my self-assurance. I know that this trait could get me into a lot of trouble, but to this day I still let it get to me.**  
**"Max wanted us t-"**  
**"I know what Max wanted." Four snapped, defeated. I walked into the circle, feeling rather nervous for the first time, facing Eric as he waltzed on in. His eyes were hard now; determined. Not many people would be able to tell that, but I can. I knew I had to fight my hardest, or get hurt in the process.**

**"Go easy on me?" I asked with mock inviolability. I wanted to put him off as much as possible, hopefully get him to ease off, but his smile told me it hadn't worked and I would be lucky to come out of this intact. Eric smirked as we shook hands, a respect thing when fighting superiors as Eric was to me in this match. His grip was firm, a calloused hand like many of us. Eric has spent a hard three years here, and these are the scars to show for it.**  
**"What happened to the brave girl that liked a challenge?" He replied, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. He was trying to intimidate me and it was working. I pursed my lips in thought, trying not to let my emotions show. Eric would eat me alive if I cracked. I have to prove myself not only to him, but to everyone else. My reputation was riding on this match.**  
**"A Dauntless Leader challenged her?" I questioned, a shy smile on my face, but my eyes remained challenging. My voice was rather timid, something I know Eric picked up on. Four did as well, I could tell from the widening of his eyes. He knew this was going to be difficult. Eric snorted and began circling me.**  
**"Nice save." Eric suddenly showed anger, or disappointment. I couldn't really tell, I just knew that my last comment was the wrong one to make. I started to move faster, knowing that I have to get into it quickly. I can honestly say at that moment, I was worried. Eric was good, deadly good, and I was only an initiate. A cocky, stupid initiate who bit off more than she can chew. I was a gonner.**  
**I was going to get hurt. That much was certain and everyone knew it. Even Four knew it. But be warned, he wasn't going to take me down without taking damage of his own.**  
**I waited for Eric to make his move, but it was obvious he was doing the same. We were taught the same in that right. Wait for your opponent to reveal his fighting style, and work around it. Find their weakness and use it against them. So someone had to make a move. Unfortunately for me, it was Eric who made the first move.**  
**He was fast and his moves were strict. He went for a test punch to my stomach, but I blocked it and responded by throwing my elbow into his side. He blocked it. I had to keep him away from any main areas of my body, or he would have me.**

**Eric held my right arm.**  
**I held his left hand. **

**We stared back in each other's eyes, trying to read the next move. I brought my knee up to connect it with his abdomen, but he bent down and pulled up, lifting me up into the air slightly. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to correct myself, so I fell and Eric got his fist into my stomach. Eric still had a hold of my leg, so I hit the ground face first. It stung initially, but I knew I had to get back up. I rolled onto my back and pushed up on my hands, my left leg swinging around to kick the side of his head.**  
**It didn't reach. Instead, Eric took hold of my leg and flipped me backwards so I landed on my feet. We had a stand off again.**  
**"It looks like they're dancing." Christina quietly commented, while watching the fight. "I didn't know two people could be so matched."**  
**"It's definitely strange." Four mumbled, watching a Dauntless Leader being matched by an initiate. A skilled initiate at that. Sure, she took some damage, but that was superfluous. It didn't affect her. Eric had to watch his back.**  
**I blew out a large puff of air, Eric doing the same. We both smirked. Eric ran for me again and I did the same, his fist came up so I caught it and tried to kick him again, but again he caught it. Thinking on my toes, I dropped down, pulling Eric down with me and turned, connecting my heel with his side. Eric winced, but retaliated quickly, knocking his elbow into my back.**  
**"This is crazy," Will commented, "no one will win at this rate."**  
**"Everything he does, she does just as well." Al nodded, all initiates now standing around to see from all angles.**  
**"They are both very skilled," Edward, an Erudite transfer, said as he watched, "I expected as much from a leader, but an initiate?"**  
**"Her parents were some of the best." Says Four.**  
**"Were?" Christina asked. Will bit his lip and shook his head at her. Christina looked confused.**  
**"They both died five years ago." Will whispered to her. He didn't want to interrupt Zania in such a hard fight.**  
**"Oh." Says Christina. **

**I was on the floor, Eric hovering above me. He went to punch me, but I used his instability to my advantage and rolled, pinning him down this time, but he was strong. Eric pushed me back, literally lifting me up onto my feet. I braced myself, because suddenly, we didn't seem so evenly matched. Eric was a lot stronger than I, that was evident, and now he was finally using it. But he didn't continue. Instead, he held out his hand to me.**  
**"I call this fight a draw. Good job." Eric said in a low voice that I wasn't sure anyone but me had heard. Four looked skeptical, his analytical eyes scanning the situation closely. I folded my hand into his and shake firmly. A sign to show that I respected the match and that he did too. It was the hardest one I have had in a long time.**  
**"You were holding back." I whispered, knowing that Eric was listening. Something glistened in his eyes, but I couldn't pinpoint the emotion before a smirk crossed his face. Eric caught my eyes, showing no attention to anyone else but me.**  
**"Or the brave girl is tougher than she thinks." He replied before stepping back and out if the circle, pushing Will rather roughly into it. Al stepped in also, getting ready to fight. I couldn't watch though, my head was spinning. He complimented me... Again. My eyes glanced over at him. Eric was watching the fight, but I noticed he was playing with a small silver ring on his index finger and vaguely wondered why he wore it. Was it symbolic? Or did he wear it to inflict more damage. The latter seemed improbable. The band was flat, with small pictures carved around it. If it were to actually hit someone, it wouldn't do much more than Eric's knuckles. So it must have some significance to him. But I wasn't going to ask. He wouldn't answer anyway. **

**I trained my eyes back on Will and Al. Will was fast, but that was as far as his skill went against Al. Al was big and when his fist connected to Will's jaw, he went stumbling to the side. This only seemed to impress Eric, who turned a ring in his eyebrow.**  
**Will was smart enough to block Al's next punch which, judging by Will's grimace, was just as painful as the blow would have been. Will hooks a foot around one of Al's legs and yanks back, knocking Al to the ground. Al scrambles to his feet.**  
**Will and Al face each other for a few more seconds, more hesitant than they were before. Will flicks his pale hair from his eyes. They glance at Four like they're waiting for him to call the fight off, but he stands with his arms folded, giving no response. A few feet away from him, Eric checks his watch.**  
**After a few seconds of circling, Eric shouts, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!"**  
**"But …" Al straightens, letting his hands down, and says, "Is it scored or something? When does the fight end?"**  
**"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," says Eric.**  
**"According to Dauntless rules," Four says, "one of you could also concede."**  
**Eric narrows his eyes at Four, as if offended by his remark. "According to the old rules," he says. "In the new rules, no one concedes."**  
**"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others," Four replies.**  
**"A brave man never surrenders." Four and Eric stare at each other for a few seconds. Eric has a snarl on his face, as if challenging Four to reply. Four bites the inside of his lip and turns away. This conversation confused me. He called out fight a draw, but refuses to allow anyone else do the same.**  
**Beads of sweat dot Al's forehead; he wipes them with the back of his hand. "This is ridiculous," Al says, shaking his head. "What's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!" **

**Even I knew that was a dumb move. **

**"Oh, you think it's going to be that easy?" Will asks, grinning. "Go on. Try to hit me, slowpoke." Will puts his hands up again. I see determination in Will's eyes that wasn't there before. Does he really believe he can win? Of course, I'm all for the underdog, but having only just now decided to put his all into it... Yeah it didn't look good. One hard shot to the head and Al will knock him out cold. That is, if he can actually hit Will. Al tries a punch, and Will ducks, the back of his neck shining with sweat. He dodges another punch, slipping around Al and kicking him hard in the back. Al lurches forward and turns.**  
**He charges at Will, grabbing his arm so he can't slip away, and punches him hard in the jaw. Will's eyes roll to the back of his head as he falls unconscious and slips from Al's grasp, dead weight, and crumples to the floor. I giggle and clap, probably being the only one excited by Al's win. But then again, I have grown up with it. Eric smirks in my direction, but Four looks almost, disappointed. Not like I cared.**  
**Al, clearly scared, crouches down beside Will's body and taps his cheek. For a few seconds, he doesn't respond, but then he blinks. Everyone in the room let out a breath.**  
**"Get him up." Eric orders, looking down at Will with amusement. I tried to suppress my laughter but it was very hard. I was used to seeing this by now. But the others weren't. So when laughter bubbles through my lips, they all looked incredulous.**  
**"What?" I asked, a smile on my face. Christina just shook her head, revolted by me. I rolled my eyes. **

**"Deal with it." Eric retorted, coming to my defence, "you're in dauntless. This kind of thing happens all the time." His eyes scan the room.**  
**"Next up—Molly and Christina" shouts Eric. Al pulls Will's arm across his shoulders and drags him out of the arena. Christina cracks her knuckles. Her opponent, Molly, is a lot larger in size. She has large, broad shoulders and thinks arms and legs. She had strength, an advantage over Christina. I hoped that she would beat some sense into her.**  
**Across the room, Four supports Will from the waist and leads him out. Al stands for a moment by the door, watching them go.**  
**Christina tucks her hair behind her ears. It is chin-length, black, and pinned back with silver clips. She cracks another knuckle. She looks nervous, and no wonder—who wouldn't be nervous after watching Will collapse like a rag doll? Oh right, me.**  
**Christina kicks Molly in the side. Molly gasps and grits her teeth like she's about to growl through them. A lock of stringy black hair falls across her face, but she doesn't brush it away.**  
**Molly smirks at Christina, and without warning, dives, hands outstretched, at Christina's midsection. She hits her hard, knocking her down, and pins her to the ground. Christina thrashes, but Molly is heavy and doesn't budge. She punches, and Christina moves her head out of the way, but Molly just punches again, and again, until her fist hits Christina's jaw, her nose, her mouth. Blood runs down the side of Christina's face and splatters on the ground next to her cheek. **

**Christina screams and drags one of her arms free. She punches Molly in the ear, knocking her off-balance, and wriggles free. She comes to her knees, holding her face with one hand. The blood streaming from her nose is thick and dark and covers her fingers in seconds. She screams again and crawls away from Molly. Molly kicks Christina in the side sending her sprawling on back.**  
**"Stop!" wails Christina as Molly pulls her foot back to kick again. She holds out a hand. "Stop! I'm …" She coughs. "I'm done."**  
**Eric walks to the centre of the arena, his movements slow, and stands over Christina with his arms folded. He says quietly, "I'm sorry, what did you say? You're done?"**  
**Christina pushes herself to her knees. When she takes her hand from the ground, it leaves a red handprint behind. She pinches her nose to stop the bleeding and nods. "Get up," he says.**  
**Is voice was quiet, clipped and his words were precise. He was planning something and it was going to be rough. Eric grabs Christina's arm, roughly pulling her to her feet and out the door. **

**"Follow me," he says to the rest of us. And we do. No one wants to challenge Eric right now. Not even me. He was pissed and I have already felt the end of his power. A bruise was starting to form on my temple. Eric leads us to the Chasm, gesturing for us all the gather along the railing. We do so without question.**  
**Eric shoves Christina against the railing. "Climb over it," he says.**  
**"What?" She says it like she expects him to relent, but her wide eyes and ashen face suggest otherwise. Eric will not back down. It wasn't in his nature to concede and let someone off the hook. He would see this through to the very end, even if it means Christina's death.**  
**"Climb over the railing," says Eric again, pronouncing each word slowly. "If you can hang over the chasm for five minutes, I will forget your cowardice. If you can't, I will not allow you to continue initiation." The railing is narrow and made of metal. The spray from the river coats it, making it slippery and cold. Even if Christina is brave enough to hang from the railing for five minutes, she may not be able to hold on. Either she decides to be factionless, or she risks death. For me personally, the later sounded more favourable.**  
**"Eric," I say firmly. He turns his head to look at me, his face firm with anger, but still, he looked shocked that I spoke up at all. "This won't prove anything."**  
**"I didn't ask for your approval." He spits, but the anger doesn't reach his eyes and I know he is questioning himself. Something about me doubting his lead is making him question himself, which isn't what I aimed to do, but something needed to be said.**  
**"She was brave enough to admit she was weak. She is injured. What point could this possibly make?" I argued, quieter this time and only spoke to Eric. I stood beside him and he was close enough to hear my whisper. Eric met my eyes and for a few moments, he was silent. It didn't last long though, before his eyes hardened, a scowl on his face. He turned back to Christina.**

**"Climb over." He says, his resolve holding strong. I sigh with defeat and sit down, knowing this would be a long 5 minutes. What could be more boring than watching someone dangle over the chasm for five minutes? I wasn't sure if Eric would truly let her die at this point, but it was a possibility.**  
**"Fine," she says, her voice shaking. She is tall enough to swing her leg over the railing. Her foot shakes. She puts her toe on the ledge as she lifts her other leg over. Facing us, she wipes her hands on her pants and holds on to the railing so hard her knuckles turn white. Then she takes one foot off the ledge. And the other. I see her face between the bars of the barrier, determined, her lips pressed together. For the first minute and a half, Christina is fine. Her hands stay firm around the railing and her arms don't shake.**  
**But it didn't last any longer. **

**The river hits the wall, and white water sprays against Christina's back. Her face strikes the barrier, and she cries out. Her hands slip so she's just holding on by her fingertips. She tries to get a better grip, but now her hands are wet. I jumped onto my feet. I couldn't watch this.**  
**"Eric, stop it! This isn't bravery or Courage. This is just cruel!" I yelled, pushing my hands against his chest. Eric's eyes lit up in anger, his body tense and eyes, cold. He looked betrayed almost, a definitive sign that I was about to cop it.**  
**"Don't tell me what I can and can't do!" He yelled back, his voice harsh and strict. I flinched as he grabbed my arms and held me against the railing to the chasm. His lip curled up in a deadly scowl, and I knew I have really done it this time. Eric may have shown me a softer side to himself, but that side was sleeping. Ruthless Eric was out to play.**  
**"Your manipulating her weakness for amusement!" I chocked, his hand now around my throat. I think at this point, I was ready to die. I didn't want to live, if this is what Dauntless had to look towards. All of my thoughts were towards helping Christina, or at least shortening her time over the chasm. I wasn't about to let him kill her if I had a chance to stop it.**  
**"I'm a dauntless leader, not you. So shut up. Don't make me throw you over there, too." There was an undertone to Eric's voice that sent a shiver down my spine. It was soft, underneath that hard exterior and it was begging to be let out. Eric was sick of playing the bad guy. Maybe he wouldn't admit it. But his body language told me it was true. He had an image to uphold, and I am not helping him keep it. If anything, I was starting to crack through him.**  
**I wasn't sure that was a good thing anymore.**

**Eric released me as Al's watch reads 5:00. "Five minutes are up," Al says, almost spitting the words at Eric. Eric checks his own watch. Taking his time, tilting his wrist, prolonging Christina's torture. He was regaining his composure before he had to speak again.**  
**"Fine," Eric says. "You can come up, Christina."**  
**Al walks toward the railing.**  
**"No," Eric says. "She has to do it on her own."**  
**"No, she doesn't," Al growls. "She did what you said. She's not a coward. She did what you said."**  
**Eric doesn't respond. His face may show nothing to most people, but I saw the small twitch at the corner of his lips.**  
**Al reaches over the railing, and he's so tall that he can reach Christina's wrist. She grabs his forearm. Al pulls her up, his face red with frustration, and Tris runs forward to help. She's too short to do much good, as I suspected, but Grips Christina under the shoulder once she's high enough, and Al and her haul her over the barrier. She drops to the ground, her face still blood-smeared from the fight, her back soaking wet, her body quivering.**  
**Eric dismissed us for the day, before leaving and heading off somewhere. He didn't even challenge me again. It was strange. I had no idea what to do now, so I headed off to the dormitory to have a shower and get some rest before dinner. I was exhausted. **

**When I arrived at the cafeteria, I was shocked to see Eric sitting alone at a table at the back of the room. Without thinking, my feet carried me towards him, sitting down across from him. Eric didn't look up, but I was certain he knew I was there. I knew he wasn't over the events of the day. I had stood up against him, instead of with him for the first time since we met.**

**"I'm," he began, swallowing loudly. Eric glanced into my eyes. "I'm sorry."**  
**"Eric." I whispered, shocked greatly by his apology. It was widely known by, well, everyone that Eric wasn't the type to show sympathy or gratitude. His eyes showed me sincerity, body language I hadn't seen in many people's eyes. Amongst the dauntless, it was a rare trait many desired but could never have.**  
**"I know." Was all he said. He seemed to see something in my eyes, his reflection maybe, but whatever it was, it made him tense. I took note of the small, apologetic curve his lip had as he spoke to me. It was completely new. "I'll leave now."**  
**"No." I said quickly, taking a hold of his wrist before he could stand. Eric looked at me, shocked, but stayed in his seat. I wanted to get to know him, the real Eric. Not because he was a leader. Not because he was good looking. But because I have seen that he needs and wants someone to try and crack him open and take him on with all of his quirks and challenges. "No, please stay."**  
**"Ok." Eric said. **

**We ate in a comfortable silence from then on. Our eyes caught every so often and I would flash him a reassuring smile. It was obvious he was unsure of the situation.**  
**"Eric, relax." I said calmly, noticing how tense his shoulders are. Just those two words caused him to slump in his seat, totally relaxed. His breath escaped him in a sigh, relieved.**  
**"Why are you staying with me?" That simple sentence shook me to my core in surprise. For the first time, in an obvious display, Eric was showing me his vulnerability and I didn't know why. It gave me a different outlook on him. He wasn't Eric; the harsh and cruel dauntless leader. To me he was Eric; just Eric. For the first time, I saw him for who he was and that even though his actions have shaped who he is as a leader, his words shaped who he was as a person. And he was showing them to me.**  
**"Because I want to." I felt this was not a time for teasing, or a time for extended spiel of emotions. He needed a friend, a close one, and I was going to be it. Eric studied me closely, before he relaxed into his seat again. He was worried for my answer. Worried that by showing me who he was, I would criticize him. I think he has seen that I am here for him now. I wasn't going anywhere soon.**

**After dinner, Eric escorted me back to my dorm after we had a brief argument about how tired I looked. An argument to which Eric won. It wasn't hard to tell. The bags under my eyes were dark, and the bruise on my temple was a beautiful purple colour. The hit to the ground did more damage than I primarily thought.**  
**"Thank you, Zania." Eric murmured as we walked down a dimly lit hallway. The ghost of a smile touched his lips and warmed me. I smiled comfortably at him, not touching him. I didn't want to break a boundary I was just being allowed to cross. I wanted to show him that I was there for him, no matter how he acted.**  
**"Anytime Eric, really." He looked over at me, eyes still uncertain. He reminded me of a little puppy. He thought he knew himself and now, he was relearning all over again. "Any time."**  
**Eric, for the first time, gave me an honest smile as he took hold of my arm and pulled me into a comforting hug. His head was buried into the nape of my neck, his arms strong around me. I rested my cheek against his head and breathed in his alluring scent.**  
**We didn't speak, even long after the hug had ended. I could still feel the warmth of his body, the softness of his hair. I felt good. Like I had changed someone for the better. Helped them realise them self. I knew it would be a while before I saw this side of him again, so I cherished it. I just hoped it doesn't backfire.**

**The next day, Eric wasn't present for breakfast, but he is for training. As I walk into the room, I notice him standing by Four and I find out that today, I'm up against Will. But the shock of the day wasn't from my pairing, but from another. Tris was to fight Peter.**  
**Their rivalry extended further than just a friendly competition. Just this morning, Peter had graffitied the word 'Stiff' all over her bedspread and frame. He was out to aggravate her, put her off. He knew she was competition, but he didn't want to beat her fairly. He was Candor after all.**  
**The fights start with Molly and Edward. I found this to be amusing, knowing that Edward clearly had the upper hand in this fight. He has trained for years and is a lot faster than Molly. I had no doubts. There fight was uneventful and fast, Molly peeling herself off the ground after a thrashing from Edward. Next was Tris and Peter.**  
**"You okay there, Stiff?" Peter says. "You look like you're about to cry. I might go easy on you if you cry."**  
**I personally found this to be funny, but since no one else found it amusing, I stifled my laugh.**  
**One second Peter and Tris are standing there, staring at each other, and the next Peter's hands are up by his face, his elbows bent. His knees are bent too, like he's ready to spring.**  
**"Come on, Stiff," he says, his eyes glinting. "Just one little tear. Maybe some begging."**  
**The thought of Tris, on her knees, begging Peter for mercy makes me see a new side to Peter. He is cruel and sadistic. Definitely qualities the new dauntless look for. But his cockiness will end him here. On an impulse, Tris swings her leg around to kick him in the side. However, Peter catches her ankle and yanks it forward, knocking the small girl of balance. Her back smacks into the floor loudly. Tris scrambles to free her ankle from Peter's grasp and then to her feet to try and prepare before his next move.**  
**"Stop playing with her," snaps Eric. "I don't have all day." Peter's mischievous look disappears. His arm twitches and before anyone could react, his fist connects with Tris' jaw. I watch as she blinks slowly and lurches to the side, obviously dizzy. Tris is unable to stand, so tries to avoid his attacks, but Peter is too fast and soon, plants his foot into her stomach. He really is skilled. Tris tries to stand, but Peter grabs a fist full of her hair and punches her square in the nose. Memory of my punch to Marlene's face flashed in my eyes and I grinned.**  
**Tris attempts to shove Peter off, her hands slapping at his arms, and he punches her again, this time in the ribs. Her nose is bleeding from the punch, just as Marlene's had. Peter shoves Tris and She falls again, scraping her hands on the ground, blinking, sluggish and slow and hot. Tris coughs and drags herself to her feet.**  
**Tris swings a punch, obviously using the last of her strength, but it barely does any damage. Peter slaps her across the side of her head, laughing as he does.**  
**Out of my peripheral vision, I see Four shove the door open and walk out.**  
**Tris' knees give out and she falls with her cheek to the floor. Peter kicks her hard in the side and for the admirably the first time, Tris screams and it is high and painfully loud. Peter kicks again, knocking Tris unconscious just as Eric calls out the end of the fight.**  
**Everyone is silent, even Peter as he finally comes to his senses. True, he intended to do the damage he did, but I believe it was a blur for him, too. Al steps forward to take Tris out, but Four takes her from him at the door. Next up was my fight with Will.**  
**I didn't say anything as we entered the arena, but Will was obviously nervous. I didn't waste any time. I was hungry, and lunch was after my fight. I held my fists up and faked a punch, to which Will dodged, then swept his feet out from under him, knocking Will down onto his back. I jumped on top of him, punching him square in the temple. Will's head whips to the right, but he isn't down for long. He manages to push me over and gets on top of me, swinging a punch for my face, but misses when I scrunch my knee up and hitting him in the stomach. I don't believe in attacking the sensitive areas. Will recovers quickly, but I'm on him before he could attack. Literally. I jumped onto Will's back, slamming my knee into his back as I do, then elbowing his temple, knocking him unconscious. I landed on my feet as Will hit the ground.**  
**"Took you long enough." Eric smirked. I shot him a playful grin, patting my hands on my pants as if it was no big deal. I knew I looked like a jerk to the initiates, but what choice did I have. There was no way I was becoming factionless.**  
**"What fun would it be if I finished it quickly?" I asked with a slight giggle as I exited the ring, leaving someone else to take care of Will. Eric nodded his head as he turned without a word to lead us down the hallway towards the cafeteria. **

**"You really are risking your ass here, Zania." Eric stated, looking over at me with a strange look, as if he was worried I couldn't make it. I wasn't sure why he was worrying. "You're letting your abilities get to your head."**

**I wasn't sure what he meant by that. **

**Eric stopped just outside the cafeteria doors and turned to us, looking each in the eyes. "Tomorrow we are going on a field trip to the fence to see what it is exactly that we do there. Be prepared. What you will find there is not what you will expect." Eric looked around at us one final time before proceeding to move into the cafeteria. I got the feeling he was done talking to me for now, so I headed in to sit with Uriah. As I sat down, Uriah flashed me a grin.**

**"How's it going?" He asked, taking a bite out of the massive hamburger he had in his hand. It was funny trying to watch him get it all into his mouth without spilling it. It didn't happen. Sauce fell all over him and red puddles on his lap. But Uriah, being Uriah, wasn't embarrassed. He scooped it up on his finger and licked it off.**

**"Good I think." I say casually, not wanting to relay too many details. They think they are all safe, wait till Tris and Peter come out near the top. Uriah lent over and touched my now black, purple and yellow bruise, making me whine at the pain. Uriah snorted a laugh, making me glare at him.**

**"Damn, someone socked you good." Uriah commented, laughing lightly under his breath. I rolled my eyes and threw a bread roll at him, thumping him right in the centre of his forehead. Feeling at ease again with someone I have known my whole life, I let myself slide into my chair and finally let my body ease. My muscles were sore and tense, something I never expected during this initiation. It was no secret that the transfer's initiation process was easier.**

**"The floor hits hard." I said nonchalantly, hoping Uriah would catch on. I liked to joke around a lot that's for sure, but I was also known for bragging. A bad characteristic I must say, but in Dauntless, it kept up your reputation. I over estimated how smart he was, for Uriah's eyes widened as he laughed harder.**

**"You tripped?" He continued to laugh, as if he had the whole state of affairs figured out. I just insouciantly sat back and waited. Uriah appeared to notice that he was relatively far off point. It was comical watching him stammer over his considerations.**

**"Nah got slammed." I said when he was done laughing, causing him to raise an eyebrow in response. Alternative to that was a distinctive mannerism about Uriah. He couldn't just raise one eyebrow. He has been working at it for months, but never seems to get it. It brings on a wave of snickers from me which I play off as chuckling at his reply.**

**"By a newbie?" Uriah asked, shock and surprise all over his face. That was a fair assumption to make, since fighting a leader wasn't heard of amongst initiates. If anything, I had set the bar high just by climbing the structure outside of the school faster than Eric and no one other than a few members knew about my tests with Eric.**

**"No, by Eric. That dude is good." Uriah's shock and surprise only seemed to double by this comment. He knew I was good, but good enough to take on a dauntless leader? That was something no one expected. I played it off, taking a bite out of an apple, attempting not to move my cheek too much. Sure I was used to aching, but it still itches.**

**"What are you going to do the day of the visits?" Uriah asked, finally bored with the conversation. I suspected it was because he didn't want to look foolish. In less than a week, all the families of initiates from all factions will get the chance to visit them. Dauntless-born initiates will see their families again, reunite. I may as well be a transfer when it came to this day. My parents were gone and I had no other family. Not many families of the transfer's came either. Usually they were disappointed, or embarrassed beyond recognition that they didn't bother showing up. It happened all too often, I saw it every year. The pain of seeing happy families used to hurt me, but I never felt remorse for those who don't see theirs. I haven't seen mine for five years, and I will never get the chance to again. Fate might bring their family back together.**

**Faction Before Blood.**

**"What I do every year. Chillax in the tattoo parlour or maybe the piercing place. Who knows? I might go off and get drunk." I was only half facetious. This was the one day in the year where I feel the weight of losing my family. Not even on the anniversary of their bereavement. For some reason, this day brings on bouts of jealousy, and I preferred not receiving the impulse to act on them.**

**"Are you sure you don't want to hang out with my family? They love you." Uriah offers the same thing every year. I don't know why he was expecting my answer to be any different. Uriah could very well be my best friend, and I loved his family lots, but I could never intrude on them like that. I'm brave not rude.**

**"I'm sorry Uriah." I reply, standing from the table to leave, waving goodbye as I headed back to the training room, to study, I guess. The bruise on my temple was beginning to throb, reminding me of something I didn't think of before now. I was pushing Eric to his limits and this was a reminder that he could hurt me if I pushed it too far.**

**I sat against the wall, replaying my fight with Eric in my mind. I saw my mistakes. I put myself in a position where I couldn't recover, and now I have the mark to show for it. The transfers have worse injuries than me, but mine mean a lot more. Anyone I haven't talked to will assume that they got a hit to me, as Uriah did, and that will hurt my reputation. I had more riding on this stage than I had first realised. **

**As I sat and thought, I didn't notice the door open quietly, and the large body that walks into the room. My head was resting on my arms which were rested on my knees that were pulled into my chest, staring at the ring. I had to analyse my every move, and not let the same mistakes happen again. I was brought back to myself when someone stands in front of me. I look up, seeing Eric looking down at me indifferently. His face was blank, even his eyes were emotionless. He was just looking at me, like he would a friend. He sat down beside me.**

**"Does it hurt?" Eric enquired. His face didn't change, but his eyes did. He was sorry, regretful. I could tell. I wasn't sure why he would feel that way, we were fighting, and it was going to happen.**

**"No, not anymore. Did my kick bruise?" I asked him, hoping that I at least got some pay back. Eric looked annoyed as he lifted his shirt at the side to reveal a dark purple bruise. My eyes skimmed over it, a laugh falling out of my mouth. I was proud of myself. "Yes! I bruised a dauntless leader!" **

**I was extatic. Nothing could compare to the pride I felt. Eric mock laughed with me, but I could see his amusement. "It's ok, I got one too." I showed him the bruise on my stomach from where he punched me, but it wasn't as bad and would heal in a few more days. Eric lifted the bottom of his pants to show me the bruise on his ankle from where I had kicked him. That made us even. We both had two bruises, unfortunately for me, one of mine was visible. **

**"Want round two?" Eric asked out of the blue, looking at me challengingly. My dauntless side was kicking in too fast for me to control and I accepted the challenge, wanting to prove, to myself, that I was meant for dauntless and no other initiate compared.**

**"You're on."**

**We stood face to face in the centre of the ring, both of us fully prepared and focused. Eric and I agreed that there was to be no fooling around or holding back. We were fighting to win, nothing else. I cracked my fingers to loosen them, preparing myself for everything. I didn't get much more time.**

**Eric ran straight for me, his fists held, one over his face and one around his stomach. He was guarding all areas of his body. Eric swiftly moved to punch me in the face, but I ducked, swinging my fist around to connect with his side. Eric moved to the side swiftly, my punch missing and tried to sweep my feet out, but I jumped to avoid it, leaving my face unguarded. **

**The first punch glanced my chin forcing me to block my face with both hands. I noticed too late that it was a fake, though, when the second punch doubled me over and expelled the last bit of chocked air from my lungs.**

**It was a hard hit. Outside of having the wind knocked out of me, which I always hated, I noticed a fair amount of pain in my lower stomach. Eric's ring, I am pretty sure, caught one of my belly piercings. Stomach hits only caused a bit of discomfort otherwise. Not like a face or kidney injury. As a veteran of these fight throughout my life in dauntless, being out of air and in pain was something I knew how to deal with.**

**I stood straight, eyes narrowed with determination, and stared at Eric right in his eyes. I could see that he was proud he got me so easily, but not anymore. I was over playing and was ready to give it everything I've got.**

**Eric swung again, aiming for my face, but I must have unnerved him somehow, because the shot was slower, giving me time to duck under his arm. Eric didn't register my dodge fast enough, giving me time to land a nasty blow to his ribs. Eric shivered and made a sound of pain, alerting me to the greatness of the punch. I had shortened his breath and he was as sore as I was now.**

**Eric didn't fall, not that I had expected him too, but I knew he was worried that I was getting close to winning as well. Any well placed blow to the ribs would have seriously affected any of the initiates. But Eric was a leader and was used to a lot worse. If anyone had have been watching, both of our reputations would have taken a beating, no matter who won. **

**I went for another shot while Eric was still recovering, hoping to shake him up a bit more, but I underestimated just how good Eric was already. He took a hold of my arm and spun, so that he had a grip of it behind my back. I was used to these kinds of retaliation, so I swung my head back so it connected with his chin, hard, knocking him back. Eric released me, so that I could right myself and face him again. Seeing him shoot so far after I hit him gave me a second wind. I covered the distance between us and threw three more, fast punches towards his abdomen, which he blocked, but he missed my elbow as I spun around and connected my elbow with the side of his ribs. Eric fell to one knee.**

**Then, he stood again.**

**Between the pain in my gut and the general confusion that Eric hardly showed any signs that my blows had affected him. I, however, had laboured breaths and the pain in my stomach was terrible. I threw another punch, but my moves were getting slower, that Eric ducked under without effort. Before I could steady myself, his fist connected with my ribs, a hard blow that doubled me over. I pulled myself together fast and got ready again. Eric shook his head at me as I refused to give up.**

**I knew I was losing the battle, but I had one final tactic to win. I ran for Eric, who I noticed moved his weight to his left foot, ready to dodge my blow to the right, so I skipped around him on his left side. In Eric's shock, I knocked my elbow backwards into the centre of his spine, knocking the wind out of him. I heard his breath's come in short, sharp gasps, telling me that I was finally getting an upper hand. I turned again and planted my right foot into the back of his lower abdomen, sending him onto his knees. I moved to finish the combat, but Eric grabbed my leg and pulled me down hard onto my back.**

**My head smacked hard into the training room floor, sending chills down my spine and making me dizzy for a short time. In that time, Eric managed a final blow to my stomach, his ring definitely getting caught on my belly piercings and pulling up, causing it to bleed. He could see that I can no longer fight, so he dropped to his knees beside me, pulling my head into his lap. I groaned.**

**"You hit hard, Eric." I muttered, knowing that I would need a lot of rest before the following day. I didn't feel like going to the fence with a headache and hardly being able to move.**

**"I can say the same for you." Now that the fight was over, I could see the extent of the damage I caused Eric. A bruise was starting to form on his jaw from where I had head-butted him, as well as his loss of breath and the sweat that pooled in various areas of his clothing. All in all, I think it was a pretty even match, to which Eric came out victorious.**

**"I guess we really are rather matched. But the almighty leader is slightly better at decision making." I joked, rubbing the back of my hand over my sweaty forehead. My whole body was tight and rigid, so I knew a hot shower was in order when I got back. Hopefully, the other transfers will already be in bed. I didn't want them taking the shit out of me tonight. My head was bad enough.**

**"I'll help you back to your dorm. Get lots of rest, you're going to need to be better by tomorrow night." Eric grinned at me, sheepishly, which told me he felt guilty, but was still amused. Judging by that, I knew pantball must be tomorrow. Otherwise Eric wouldn't care. We are going to the fence tomorrow, which doesn't require that much effort and for the first time since arriving, I get to show off in front of the transfers.**

**Eric and I walk back to my dorm slowly, Eric with his hand on the small of my back to steady me and vice versa when I realised just how hurt Eric is. When we arrived, Eric slumped against the wall.**

**"I'd ask to stay so that I didn't have to walk all the way back to my room, but that would be hard to explain in the morning." Eric joked, nudging me ever so slightly. He winced as pain moved through his chest. I think my two punches to his ribs and the elbow in the back was really starting to hurt. I noted that when he was tired, Eric joked around a lot more. It was a nice change.**

**"Yeah, have fun." I replied, laughing as he glared playfully in my direction. "Goodnight Eric. Sleep well."**

**"Night." Eric began walking away as I entered the room, happy to find everyone asleep. I ran a quick hot shower to loosen my muscles before slipping into a peaceful sleep.**

**The next morning, I awaken at around three o'clock, sick to death of the uncomfortable and restless sleep I have been having that night. Instead, I decide to take a trip out to the train track. I pull on tight, leather black pants, a singlet and a matching jacket over the top. Quietly, I exit the room and quickly walk down the silent hallways to the pit, where I climbed the steep, rail less pathway to the top. Outside, the wind blew cold, hard and fast, but it didn't bother me. I sat down against a pylon, looking out over the city. From here, I could just see the marsh in the distance to my right, but only just before it skips over the skyline. The hub is to my left, tall and mighty as it peers out over the other buildings around it, but that doesn't compare to the Hancock building slightly behind me. It shadowed everything around it as it looks over the city. **

**I was alone for a long time, I lost count of exactly how long when the sun peeked over the horizon. It shot an array of oranges and pinks across the sky. It was just, beautiful. It had been a while since I had seen the sky, and I'm thankful that I had come out today. I knew the paintball fight would be coming up soon, I just forget when. I have lost track of the days I have been in initiation. I knew that soon, my position amongst the transfers will end and I'll be competing with the best of the dauntless initiates. **

**"What brings you up here?" I span around at the voice, coming face to face with someone I did not expect to see. Four took three long strides to sit beside me, looking over at the sunrise. He sighed in content. **

**"Couldn't sleep." I replied simply, finding the conversation rather uncomfortable. I had never really spoken to Four before, except when he was giving us instructions. I preferred to speak to Eric. Maybe because I related better to him, I don't know. "Why are you here?"**

**"Couldn't sleep." Four replied simply, rubbing a small spot on his wrist. I wasn't Candor, I couldn't read body language, but I could tell by the way his eyes shadowed over that he must have had a nightmare. I didn't push him for information, mostly because I didn't care. He was a big boy. Plus, I knew Tris and him were close. She talks in her sleep. **

**It was quiet for a while, I felt extremely uneasy sitting with him; but what did I have not to trust about him? He was a dauntless member; worked in the control room and even trained initiates. He wouldn't harm me. However, a new figure topped the building. **

**"Eric." Four stated, leaning backwards onto his elbows. He looked at ease, but the muscles stood out in his arms showing how tense he was. No matter who it was, Eric was a dauntless leader; an imposing one at that. He intimidated everyone. "What brings you up here?"**

**"I followed you? Calm down though, Four, I came to speak to Zania." Eric motioned for me to follow him with his head. I was fully prepared to go after him, when Four took a hold of my arm. His grip was tight. **

**"You don't have to follow him." Four says, looking me straight in the eye. I glanced at Eric, who was clenching his teeth to hide his worry. I knew this conversation wasn't going to be an easy one already, but Four was making it worse. **

**"I want too." I snapped, pulling my arm from his grip and walking over to Eric who visibly relaxed. As I reached him, he lent down to whisper in my ear. **

**"I was worried that you wouldn't want to talk to me." A crack in his demeanour told me this was going to be an intimate conversation. Eric looked into my eyes, then to my bruise. "I'm sorry."**

**"I will always want to talk to you." I looked at Four, who watched us, wearily. I suppose it wasn't a sight you saw every day. Eric didn't confide in people full stop. "And it's fine."**

**I followed Eric back down to the bottom of the pit, knowing that in a few hours, we would have to climb back up again. But I didn't care. I was finally away from Four and back to where I was comfortable. **

**We didn't go the whole way down, Eric turned right and walked into the recently open tattoo parlour. **

**"I wanted to get a new tattoo, but I wanted your opinion." Eric admitted, pulling me down to sit on the couch with him. I sat down and immediately threw my legs onto his lap, showing my comfort with him. Eric looked at me, a shadow of a smile crossing his lips. He handed me a piece of paper. **

**On it, was such a beautiful design, something that really shocks me. Eric was tough, a dauntless leader, and this was not. There was a small passage of writing. 'Sometimes, opinions and Ideals are warped, but one thing that will remain constant. Zania'. Reading it again, I felt a tear run to my eye. I wasn't sure what he meant by this, but I did know that it meant a lot and took a lot of his dauntless courage just to show me this. **

**"Eric this is..." I was at a loss for words. I wasn't sure how to describe the words alone. Let alone the words, cloaked in a blanket of flames. It showed his dauntless side, but also the side of him newly discovered by the both of us. **

**"The most dauntless thing I have ever and will ever have done." Eric supplied me, fitting perfectly with what I thought of the design. Eric turned the page over and showed me a second design. It was designed around a wrist, a twist of lines coming together to form a band. And in the centre of the band was the single word 'yours'. This one completely confused me. I didn't understand what this symbolized. "It defines that even the strongest of leaders need someone to lean on."**

**"Eric, they're both so beautiful and dauntless." I was speechless, I didn't think Eric was capable of seeing things in such a way. Sure I was starting to see another side to him, one no one else has ever seen, but this still shocked me. Eric handed the designs over to the tattooist, then turned back to me.**

**"Get them with me?" Eric asked, almost casually, as if he expected the choice to be easy. I have gotten a few tattoos, but these were going to be the hardest. I had to have the bravery to put aside my individuality, and the need to stand alone and connect with Eric in a way that was permanently etched into my skin. Romantically, Eric and I were nothing. There wasn't even a spark of something like that between us, but he needs someone to help him and be with him and I was going to be that person. I smiled and nodded, taking a seat beside him for the second tattooist. Eric didn't smile back, but his eyes caught mine and I saw in them all I needed to see. **

**He was thankful.**

**An hour later, our inks were done and Eric and I were making our way back up to the top of our pit to await the rest of the initiates. Both of my tattoos were covered, to avoid getting dust irritation during the trip to the fence. Eric's weren't however, since he wasn't joining us. Four was taking us alone. I took a seat on the edge of the building, dangling my feet over the side, looking out over the city, again. Eric took a seat beside me, to avoid having to leave me alone with Four again. I was grateful for that. Something about Four made me feel uncomfortable. **

**At eight o'clock, the transfers start to trickle out to the tracks. Eric and I stand as we hear the first set of footsteps making their way to us. Peter, Molly and Drew are the first to arrive, followed by Edward, and so on. As they arrive, Eric remains silent. Four stays where he was, leaning against the pylon, every so often shooting us a strange look. I wasn't sure what to think of his harsh glances. I didn't think I was doing anything wrong. I didn't know a girl wasn't allowed to speak to a dauntless leader**

**At quarter past eight, we hear the footsteps of the final initiates, Tris and Christina. They walk out just as the train's horn blares, signalling its arrival. Tris looks stiff and sore, a result from her fight with Peter the day before. If I wasn't in the same position after fighting Eric a second time, I would feel sorry for her. **

**Four stands at the front of the pack, so close to the tracks that if he shifted even an inch forward, the train would take his nose with it. Eric and I were close behind, waiting patiently for the arrival of the train. Well, Eric was just waiting. As it passes us, four grabs hold of the handle and swings in easily. I turn to wave to Eric, who just nods as I step back, doing an Ariel into the cart. My timing was perfect. I crouched down to avoid the wind, but sat completely after a while, feeling the pain of my bruises on my stomach. **

**"Feeling okay there?" Peter says, giving Tris a look of mock sympathy – his lips turned down, his arched eyebrows pulled in, "Or are you a little _Stiff_?" **

**He bursts into laughter at his joke, and Molly and Drew join in. Molly has an ugly laugh, all snorting and shaking shoulders, and Drew's is silent, so it almost looks like he's in pain.**

**"We are all awed by your incredible wit," says Will.**

**Yeah, are you sure you don't belong with the Erudite, Peter? Christina adds. "I hear they don't object to sissies."**

**Four, standing in the doorway, speaks before Peter can retort. "Am I going to have to listen to your bickering all the way to the fence?"**

**Everyone gets quiet, and Four turns back to the car's opening. He holds the handles on either side, his arms stretching wide, and leans forward so his body is mostly outside the car, though his feet stay planted inside.**

**Most of the initiates look out of the cart in curiosity, having never seen so much of the city. I didn't blame them, anyone outside of dauntless wouldn't know even half of what was beyond the fence. Even I had no idea. Only those who work the fence know what to look out for.**

**Tris opens her mouth to speak, "What do you think is out there?" She nods to the doorway. "I mean, beyond the fence."**

**She shrugs. "A bunch of farms, I guess."**

**"Yeah, but I mean … past the farms. What are we guarding the city from?"**

**Christina wiggles her fingers at Tris "Monsters!"**

**"Guarding the fence is probably one of the hardest jobs in terms of safety." I say as the train zooms closer and closer to our destination. Everyone looks at me, eager to find out more on the topic. "Sure there are farms, but there are wild animals bigger than anything you've ever seen before, that will eat you without a second thought. Not to mention the things we aren't allowed to know about unless we work on the fence." **

**"We didn't even have guards near the fence until five years ago," says Will. "Don't you remember when Dauntless used to patrol the factionless sector?"**

**"Yes," Tris says, looking slightly guilty and uncomfortable. I was hoping everyone caught on, and moved from the topic immediately. Unfortunately, I was never that lucky.**

**"Oh, right," Will says. "I bet you saw them all the time."**

**"Why do you say that?" Tris asks, a little too sharply. She didn't want to be associated too closely with the factionless, that much was obvious by her rigid body language.**

**"Because you had to pass the factionless sector to get to school, right?"**

**"What do you do, memorise a map of the city for fun?" says Christina. It was a fair comment to make. Not many know that the Abnegation pass by there every day.**

**"Yes," says Will, looking puzzled. "Didn't you?" **

**Sometimes I think we all forget that Will came from Erudite. The train's brakes squeal, and all the transfers lurch forward as the car slows. The dilapidated buildings are gone, replaced by yellow fields and train tracks. The train stops under an awning. I jump out of the train normally, to sore and exhausted to bother showing off today. The train wasn't moving anyway.**

**Before us is a high, chain-link fence with barbed wire strung along the top. When I walk forward I notice that it continues farther than I can see, perpendicular to the horizon. Past the fence is a cluster of trees, most of them dead, some green. Milling around on the other side of the fence are Dauntless guards carrying guns. **

**"Follow me," says Four. Silently, we all follow after him, no one wanting to step out of line here. There were too many people with guns here that were all too willing to shoot us. Four leads us toward the gate, which is as wide as a house and opens up to the cracked road that leads to the city. "If you don't rank in the top five at the end of initiation, you will probably end up here," says Four as he reaches the gate. "Once you are a fence guard, there is some potential for advancement, but not much. You may be able to go on patrols beyond Amity's farms, but-" **

**"Patrols for what purpose?" asks Will.**

**Four lifts a shoulder. "I suppose you'll discover that if you find yourself among them. As I was saying. For the most part, those who guard the fence when they are young continue to guard the fence. If it comforts you, some of them insist that it isn't as bad as it seems."**

**"What rank were you?" Peter asks Four. For a moment, it doesn't look like Four was going to answer, so I was prepared to answer for him, having loved here when he became a member. **

**However, Four looks levelly at Peter and says, "I was first."**

**"And you chose to do _this_?" Peter's eyes are wide and round and dark green. They would look innocent to me if I didn't know what a terrible person he is. "Why didn't you get a government job?"**

**"I didn't want one." Four says flatly. I remember what he said on the first day, about working in the control room, where the dauntless monitor the city's security. **

**We stop next to the gate. A few dauntless guards glance in our direction but not many. They are too busy pulling the doors – which are twice as tall as they are and several times wider open to a truck.**

**The man driving wears a hat, a beard and a smile. He stops just inside the gate and gets out. The back of the truck is open, and a few Amity sit among the stacks of crates – they hold apples. I decided to just sit and wait for our next movement. Even Four has gone to talk to a guard. The train soon arrives and we are on our way back to dauntless.**

**Crawling into bed at the end of the following day brought relief to my limbs. The damage from my fight with Eric was finally setting in on my muscles, causing a discomforting pain, but nothing I couldn't handle. After a hot shower, I was ready for bed. Stripping down to my underwear and tank top, I crawled under the sheets and drifted quickly into sleep. **

**It had been two days since my fight with Eric, but fighting Edward that day had taken it out of me. I was already slower than usual from the fatigue I felt, so I took a few good hits to the jaw and stomach, but nothing like what I got from Eric before it. I, however, was told that morning that I wasn't being ranked with the transfers, but being ranked according to how Max and Eric thought I was doing. It wouldn't be fair otherwise.**

**I must have fallen asleep earlier than I thought, because I had gotten an hour of good sleep before the dormitory door slams open, and people stream into the room with flash-lights. That's when I remembered. Paintball was tonight. Groaning, I slipped out of bed, to stand in the cold room with nothing on, but that didn't worry me. I was just annoyed that I haven't had much sleep at all.**

**"Everybody up!" someone roars. A flashlight shines behind his head, making the rings in his ears glint. Eric. The dauntless-born initiates stand around him, grinning in at us. I catch Uriah's eyes, who grins and whistles at me.**

**"Fuck up, Uriah. That goes for the rest of you pervs too." I snap, still rather irritated as I pulled on my pants. Uriah walks over to me, and run's his fingers over the top of the tattoo I had gotten with Eric, the one that read his name. Lucky for me, half of it was hidden under my tank. **

**"When did you get that?" He asked, moving to try and see the rest, but I slapped his hand away. I turned to face him, putting a bra on over my tank top, then slipping the tank up and over it.**

**"Yesterday – no, day before." I say, pulling on a jacket.**

**"Did you go deaf, Stiff?" I hear Eric demand. Looking over, he is glaring directly at Tris, madder than he seemed to be a second ago. Tris sleeps fully clothed, so she didn't seem to be very nercous. Christina, like me, slept with only underwear and a tank on. Lucky for us both, though, we were tall and had long thin legs and thin bodies which looked good in no clothing. "You have five minutes to get dressed and meet us by the tracks," says Eric, "We're going on another field trip."**

**Pulling my shoes on, I follow Eric out of the door with the dauntless-born initiates to wait at the tracks for the transfers. I wince as I rub up against someone. The bruises were worse than I thought they were and this was only going to make it worse if I was hit. Depending on whose team I was on, that would be inevitable. **

**"How did you get another bruise on your jaw?" Uriah asks as we walk up the pathway in the pit. My legs felt like lead, so I leant on him. I frown and point to Eric.**

**"It was technically his fault. I was so sore and tired after fighting him again that one of the initiates got a good hit in to my face and stomach. But my gut and ribs were already black and blue so you can't tell." I explained quickly, gasping as Eric shot me a cheeky, proud look. I shook my head at him, walking up quickly behind him. I saw him glance back at me, but he wasn't sure what I was doing. Making sure we were a safe distance from the edge, I jumped onto his back, holding on so that he would carry me. **

**"You hurt me, you can carry me." Some of the dauntless-borns laughed at me, but others were staring in shock. Any normal person probably would have gotten a punch to the face or thrown of the side of the path for doing this. Eric took hold of my legs and adjusted me, so that he had a good grip and I wasn't going to fall. I rested my head against his shoulder. "On a completely un-dauntless note," I mutter. "My head hurts."**

**"I told you to get better." Eric said as we walked out onto the roof, waiting by the tracks. I sighed, knowing he was right, but I couldn't avoid fighting earlier today, and I was just too tired to avoid the hits. Now I was really feeling it.**

**"Shhh." I joked, giggling ever so slightly. I looked down, seeing Eric was wearing a short sleeved shirt. I looked at the tattoo on his wrist and grinned, placing mine next to his. "Mines better."**

**"No it's not. They're exactly the same." Eric rolled his eyes cheekily at me, before placing me back on the ground. I pouted, but didn't protest. The train was on its way soon and Eric wouldn't be able to get us both on it.**

**I eye the pile of gun barrels and trigger guards to the side, beside boxes of paintballs and get excited. I wanted to shoot Eric, even if he was on my team. Just to pay him back for my pain.**

**"Everyone grab a gun!" shouts Eric, swinging his already loaded weapon up onto his back. I look at the swarming group of dauntless members and initiates, and know that I don't want to get in the middle of it, but I was going to anyway. I had to show Eric that I can act even in the face of pain. I took a running start and dived over the top of crouching people, making it to the front. I heard Eric snort somewhere behind me as I grabbed a gun and a box of paint balls. Now comes the issue of getting back out. I smirked and stood on top of the pile of well stacked guns.**

**"Out of my way!" I yelled, watching as all of the members and initiates alike moved aside to let me through. They knew me all too well. I slung the strap over my shoulder, so the strap rested across my chest. I walk back to Eric. "Well that was fun."**

**"You're crazy." Eric comments, tightening the strap slightly so that the gun sit higher onto my back, making it more comfortable. I notice he doesn't offer to help anyone else, which makes me feel good. I really was Eric's friend. **

**"I believe it's called being Dauntless." I retort, grinning as Eric shakes his head at me, amused. I look at Four as Eric does.**

**"Time estimate?" Eric asks him, watching as Four checks his watch. I don't understand why Eric doesn't check the time himself, he has his own watch. I have a sneaky suspicion it is because he likes pushing Four.**

**"Any minute now. How long is it going to take you to memorise the train schedule?" Four shakes his head at Eric who looks almost offended by his comment. But I could see he was playing. Maybe Eric did show a soft side to other people.**

**"Why should I, when I have you to remind me of it?" says Eric, shoving Four's shoulder. Eric turns back to me, once again adjusting an article of my clothing, this time it was the belt that I wore. The buckle was off centre. I got the feeling Eric liked touching me.**

**A circle of light appears, far away on my left. It grows larger as it comes closer, shining against the side of Eric's face, creating a glint on his piercings. A few of the initiates were like that, those who liked facial piercings. That reminds me;**

**"I was thinking of getting a dermal under my eye. Like a beauty spot, I suppose." I randomly say, looking up as Eric looks at me. He placed his finger on my cheekbone, right where I was thinking of getting it, and nodded, as if deciding for me.**

**"Get it there. It will look good." He says, tapping it once and turning back to the tracks. Quickly, he turns back to me, and throws me a small smile. I stick my tongue out at Eric, jumping onto the train right after Tris does. I was too sore for showing off tonight. Once everyone is in, Four speaks up.**

**"We'll be dividing into two teams to play capture the flag. Each team will have an even mix of members, Dauntless-born initiates and transfers. One team will get off first and find a place to hide their flag. Then the second team will get off and do the same." The car sways, and Four grabs the side of the doorway for balance. "This is a dauntless tradition, so I suggest you take it seriously."**

**"What do we get if we win?" Someone shouts.**

**"Sounds like a question someone not from Dauntless would ask," says Four, raising an eyebrow. "You get to win, of course"**

**"Four and I will be your team captains," Eric says, catching his eyes with my own for a brief moment, and I am confident I will be on his team. He looks back at Four. "Let's divide up the transfers first, shall we?"**

**"You go first," Four says.**

**Eric shrugs. "Edward."**

**Four leans against the door frame and nods. The moonlight makes his eyes bright. He scans the group of transfer initiates briefly, without calculation, and says, "I want the Stiff."**

**A faint undercurrent of laughter fills the car. Surprisingly, I don't laugh, because if Four plays his cards right, he could use her in a good strategy. Tris is small and fast. Works well when people are trying to shoot her with paint balls.**

**"Got something to prove?" asks Eric, with his trademark smirk. "Or are you just picking the weak ones so that if you lose, you'll have someone to blame it on?"**

**Four shrugs. "Something like that."**

**Tris looks angry, but I realise then, that Four really does have a strategy already. He isn't that cruel. Eric is now back in front of a large number of people, so his snarky, smart-ass mouth and demeanour comes back, as well.**

**"Your turn," says Four.**

**"Peter."**

**"Christina."**

**"Molly."**

**"Will," says Four, biting his thumbnail. He was acting so casually. I knew it really was a strategy. And he knew what Eric was going for too.**

**"Al."**

**"Drew."**

**"Last one left is Myra. So she's with me," says Eric. "Dauntless-born initiates next."**

**I was certain that Four was picking first and that Uriah would be his first pick, being best friends with his big brother. Unfortunately, that isn't the case as Four's cocky eyes lock with mine, and a smirk rises onto his face. Eric shoots him a deadly look, daring him to pick me. Unfortunately, this is Dauntless.**

**"I want Zania." Four grins, giving Eric a complete look of maddening glee. Eric is livid, but he doesn't say anything, just turns back to the group and grits his teeth tightly. I don't listen to the rest of the choices, I do know, however, that Uriah and Marlene are on my team. Four and Eric argue about who gets off first, and it is decided that it will be Four's team, including me. I stand up and walk towards the door, wanting to be the first off of this train. At least I got an excuse to shoot Eric now.**

**The train is about to dip to the ground, but Eric grabs my hand before we get too close. I look him in the eye and see his angry look, but still, there is something challenging there.**

**"Good luck." He says, secretly running his thumb over the 'yours' written on my wrist. I nod and tap his shoulder with my other hand.**

**"You're the one who needs it, Eric," I turn to the door, but think again and turn back to face Eric again. Gently, I place my left hand on his chest, right where our second tattoo was on him. Eric calmed down slightly, just by the one action, and nodded, pointing me to the door.**

**I span around, and since we are only jumping to the ground, I front flip off, not wanting to look less Dauntless because of my interaction with Eric. No one saw it anyway. I walk silently at the front of the group, not caring where we went. I wanted to let the others figure it out for themselves.**

**"Think about it. People used to ride that thing. _For fun,_" Says Will, shaking his head.**

**"They must have been dauntless," Tris pitches in.**

**"Yeah, but a lame version of Dauntless." Christina laughs. "A Dauntless Ferris wheel wouldn't have cars. You would just hang on tight with your hands, and good luck to you."**

**I laugh, hearing the idea. It would be something I was game to do. I wonder if I could convince Eric to let us try it some time. He would let me, I was his favourite person. I hoped, anyway. We reach the carousel. Some of the horses are scratched and weathered, their tails broken off or their saddles chipped. Four takes the flag out of his pocket.**

**"In ten minutes, the other team will pick their location," he says. "I suggest you take this time to formulate a strategy. We may not be Erudite, but mental preparedness is one aspect of your Dauntless training. Arguably it is the most important aspects."**

**"I wasn't so sure about that. That and physical capability were equal to me. What good is having a good mind if you haven't got the body to carry out any of the plans you formulate? And vice versa I guess. Will takes the flag from Four. **

**"Some people should stay here and guard, and some people should go out and scout the other team's location," Will says.**  
**"Yeah? You think?" Marlene plucks the flag from Will's fingers. "Who put you in charge, transfer?" **

**"No one," says Will. "But someone's got to do it." **

**"Maybe we should develop a more defensive strategy. Wait for them to come to us, then take them out," suggests Christina. **

**"That's the sissy way out," Uriah says. "I vote we go all out. Hide the flag well enough that they can't find it."**

**"Actually," I pipe up, finally over their fighting. To me, someone should take charge and lead everyone, instead of a scream at each other until someone does something fight. Everyone looks at me. "Did anyone see Eric's team? They're all big build. Knowing Eric, he is going to do what Christina suggested; guard the flag. Eric knows that we will go for him." I pause and look around the group. Four nods at me, but is then distracted by something else. I don't care what. "We need to formulate a strategy of attack. Find out where they are and go from there."**

**"That's the sissy way out," Uriah repeats, and an all-out yelling match breaks out. At this rate, Eric's team will hear us before can even get close to their location. Four doesn't seem to be doing anything either. When I turn around to find him, I notice that he and Tris are climbing the Ferris wheel. A smart idea on Tris' behalf. Now I just need to wait for her and Four.**

**It took a little while, but I hear people yelling. I wake from my light slumber and look up to find Tris lying on the floor, with the Ferris wheel rotating beside her. I guess my sleep wasn't so light after all. I was more exhausted than I thought I was.**

**Christina is perched on one of the horses, her long legs crossed and her hand around the pole holding the plastic animal up-right. Our flag is behind her, a glowing triangle in the dark. Three dauntless-born initiates stand among the other worn and dirty animals. Sitting on the edge of the carousel is an older Dauntless, scratching her quadruple-pierced eyebrow with her thumb.**

**"Where did the others go?" asks Four. He looks alive, his eyes wide with energy. My guess, is that his experience costed him more than he would ever tell anyone.**

**"Did you guys turn on the wheel?" the older girl says.**

**"What the hell are you thinking? You might as well have just shouted 'here we are! Come and get us!'" She shakes her head. "If I lose again this year, the shame will be unbearable. Three years in a row?"**

**The wheel doesn't matter," says Four. "We know where they are."**

**"We?" says Christina, looking from Four to Tris.**

**"Yes, while the rest of you were twiddling your thumbs, Tris climbed the Ferris wheel to look for the other team," he says.**

**"What do we do now, then?" asks one of the dauntless-born initiates through a yawn.**

**Four looks at Tris. Slowly everyone's eyes migrate from Four to Tris. All except mine. I knew we were going to storm their camp. Probably in two groups. One will lead an attack while the other goes around behind them to grab the flag.**

**I am in the group attacking straight on, which is good for me since I will get the opportunity to shoot Eric with a paint ball. I figure no one else is going to have the guts to do so, so he will be a clean slate. As we arrive, the groups break out into yells, while puffs of air sound signalling the paint ball fire. I hide at the back in the tree line, locating Eric. He is standing just in the tree line too, his eyes darting around, looking for me, maybe? Or just keeping his eyes open? I ran arund the back behind him, careful not to make any sound. Until I came up behind him.**

**"Miss me?" I ask and fire the bullet as soon as Eric turns around. Generally, this means Eric is out, but when did he ever play by the rules? I run out of the tree line, hearing the balls come flying out after me. I roll to dodge them and turn, firing another bullet into his chest. Two for me, zero for Eric. I get shot in the back, and it stings, but that is the least of my problems. Two shots hit me in the chest from Eric while I am distracted, but I land another one on his leg. I was winning.**

**A loud cheer echoes in the distance, signifying that we had won. I turn, seeing Christina holding the flag high up into the air, everyone else clustering around her, grabbing her arm to lift the flag even higher. Tris looks distraught, more than likely because Christina took her thunder, but I will remember Tris for her bravery today.**

**On the train, I am so tired that I just slump back against the wall and shut my eyes. I hardly even notice when I am pulled down to lay on someone's lap. Looking up, I see that it is Uriah and that I ended up on the other side of him from Tris. Before I fall completely asleep, I reach over and place my hand on Tris' leg. "Well done Tris. We couldn't have done it without you. You're truly Dauntless." To me, I couldn't have said anything nicer, and the wetness that forms in Tris' eyes tells me that she was touched by my words too. She gives me a shy smile, as I drift off into sleep again.**

**"She couldn't stay awake any longer." I hear Uriah mutter just beyond my realm of consciousness. I could feel my body being handed over to someone else, whose hands were warm and strong.**

**"My fault, I fought her yesterday." Eric chipped in, his voice closer to me, slightly, than Uriah's. Eric held me close to his chest, heat radiating off of him, and his scent wafting to me. He smelt like paint and the forest, but also of damp dirt and wood. It kind of suited him. I assume that is probably from capture the flag.**

**"Explains why you're black and blue." Uriah laughed, stepping back slightly. I feel wind slowly blow over me, so I know we are outside, but no longer on the train. Slowly, I open my eyes to see we are at the tracks.**

**"You don't need to carry me." I mutter, a yawn rocking my body. Eric just gives me a look, telling me not to bother arguing, so I don't and close my eyes again. **

**"I'll take her from here." Eric says and walks away, without even saying goodbye. He was more courteous with Uriah then I have ever seen him with anyone else. It was a nice change, but still something I liked when he was only like that with me.**

**"Get some decent rest, Zania. I'll see you tomorrow." I must have dosed off again, because it only felt like seconds later that Eric was lying me down into my bed. I opened my eyes, seeing him leaning back and all of the other transfer's staring at me in shock. I couldn't care less about what they thought, so I smiled at Eric.**

**"Thank you." I whispered, falling to sleep for the final time that night.**

**I awaken the following morning, to find the dormitory empty. Looking over at the clock, I notice that it is 8:15am and that I am late for training. Confusingly still, is that my alarm didn't go off, which I set to go off every morning without fail. Someone must have turned it off. **

**I hurriedly get dressed, feeling more awake than I have felt during the majority of initiation. My body was still really sore, but manageable now. It only made me feel uncomfortable. I ran all the way to the training room, to find Eric about to start speaking. They must have been running late, otherwise he would have started by now. As I walk in, Eric looks over at me for a few seconds, nods, then returns his gaze to the initiates. He stands in the middle of the room, his posture so rigid it looks like someone replaced his spine with a metal rod.**

**Seeing him look so uncomfortable made the air in the room heavier, bearing down on everyone in it. Even Four looked weighted down.**

**"Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," Eric says. "You will resume fighting then. Today, you'll be learning how to aim. Everyone pick up three knives." His voice is deeper than usual. I pick up my knives and stand at the back of the group. "And pay attention while Four demonstrates the correct technique for throwing them." At first no one moves. "Now!" I don't think today is a day for messing around with him, so I follow what he says. Everyone scrambles for the daggers. They aren't very heavy, but slightly weighted in order to maximise impact damage.**

**"He's in a bad mood today," mumbles Christina. **

**"Is he ever in a good mood?" Tris murmurs back. 'Yes' I think, but I can understand what they mean. Something is different about Eric today and judging by the poisonous look Eric gives Four when he isn't paying attention, his loss last night must have bothered him more than he let on. Winning capture the flag is more than just being able to say you won, for a dauntless leader, his pride and reputation has been damaged. **

**I don't watch Four as he throws the knives, I don't need to. I already have a really good aim. I have been learning how to throw knives for years. **

**"Line Up! Zania on the end!" Eric orders, everyone moving as soon as he says to. Haste isn't going to do anyone good today. Eric was mad at the winning team for beating him, but also at his own team for loosing. So it is a lose/lose situation. By the fact that he has given me no indication of contentment to see me today, I knew his anger was directed to me as well. He turns to me once everyone starts and crosses his arms tightly, his muscles standing out.**

**"Follow me." Eric leads me into the next room, the live target room. I have never been in here before, no one that isn't a member is allowed in here, so I have a feeling I am about to be tested. Eric walks back out the door, gesturing for me to stand in the centre of the room, and stands at the control panel. "Ready?"**

**"I am always ready." I reply, not even looking at him. My eyes dart around the empty room, awaiting for something to happen. That's until I notice Eric walk back in the room, holding a syringe. Of course it would be a simulation, everything Dauntless involves them. I bend my neck, feeling Eric's warm hand brush over my neck to move my hair, before he gingerly administered the simulation. Eric exits the room, as the simulation begins to work.**

**First, the room turns into a large, dense forest. There is nothing but trees around me. No birds, no squirrels, nothing. I keep my wits about me. I hear a crunch to me left, so I turn, seeing a red figure standing there. I let my knife fly, hitting it directly in the heart. **

**Another sound of movement behind me and without moving my feet, I bend back and turn, releasing my knife at the target. Bullseye. One knife left. A figure jumps from out of the trees, a gun in his hand. I roll to my left, coming up on one knee and releasing my knife, which hits him in the side of the neck. The simulation drops and Eric returns to the room.**

**"Good," He praises, looking around at the three projections on the wall, and my mark. There are three zones on each target; a yellow one, a green one and a red one. Yellow stands for a bad hit, a spot which may only temporarily distract an opponent, like the foot or arms. Green are good spots which will seriously injure an opponent, like the back, shoulders and legs. Red is a definite kill, like the heart, neck or head. All three of my knives hit in the red zones. "Out of ten, the program will rate you, ten being the highest and 1 being the lowest on how you did. I am looking for an 8, 9 or 10. You are rated on target, skill and actions in the simulation."**

**I look at the wall, where a projection runs over numbers from one to ten. I don't think I did that bad, so I am expecting at least an 8. Definitely not a ten though. As he numbers slow, the counter ticks up seven, eight, nine.**

**Nine? I got a nine! I look at Eric, who gives me a nod, before asking me to follow him from the room. I got no praise for what I did, which was really unexpected. I look down at my wrist and sigh. He was just having a bad day. As we walk back out, Eric calls over the group as he marches towards Al. This can't be good.**

**"How slow are you, Candor? Do you need glasses? Should I move the target closer to you?" Al's face turns red. He throws another knife, and this one sails a few feet to the right of the target. It spins and hits the wall. "What was that, initiate?" says Eric quietly, leaning closer to Al. I know this isn't going to be good. Eric was mad enough already.**

**"It-it slipped," says Al. "Well, I think you should go get it," Eric says. He scans the other initiates' faces – everyone has stopped throwing again – and says, "Did I tell you to stop?" Knives start to hit the board. We have all seen Eric angry before, but this is different. The look in his eyes is almost rabid. **

**"Go get it?" Al's eyes are wide. "But everyone's still throwing."**

**"And?"**

**"And I don't want to get hit."**

**"I think you can trust your fellow initiates to aim better than you." Eric smiles a little, but his eyes stay cruel. "Go get your-"**

**"Stop!" I yell, wrapping my hand around Eric's wrist. He suddenly stops and turns on me, a vicious anger in his eyes. A few days ago, I was the last person to stop Eric on a tirade, but I have seen things and experienced a new side to him. Now my outlook on dauntless has changed. Fearless and courage is one thing; sick and cruel is another.**

**"Go get it for him." Eric growls, his eyes hard and bitter. I knew his anger was something more than just capture the flag. Something was really wrong with him today. I go to object, but I didn't get the chance. Eric pushes me hard, and I stumble back into the line of fire. Most people stop throwing, but Peter, Drew and Molly aren't that nice. Peter continues to throw his knives as I walk past him, in the cadence to which he threw. Unfortunately, I misjudged his cruelty, as he throws his third knife directly at me. I drop to the ground to dodge his knife, but a second one comes from my left. This knife I didn't see coming so I didn't dodge it. I didn't notice it until it buried itself deep into my stomach.**

**"Stop!" Eric yells, his voice cracking slightly. I look at him, my hands held tightly on the wound on my stomach. Blood was running down it, heavily, staining my shirt and the ground I sat on red. Eric looks angry still, but not at me. I hear the impact of skin on skin, and I see Drew sprall to the ground, unconscious. I assume Eric punched him. **

**I begin to feel faint, but I refuse to let myself look weak. I see Four run from the room and return with a first aid kit, as Myra runs off to get a medic. Four returns and opens the contents, but I knew neither of them had much experience with first aid. I took the kit from him and leaned back against the wall. **

**"Continue, I am fine. I've got this." I said strongly, but strong was the opposite to what I felt. My head began to spin from blood loss, and my eyes were watering, but I refused to let anyone think I needed help. Eric looked at me and nodded, knowing that they weren't going to help me anytime soon.**

**"Al, where you afraid?" Eric asks, his sinister grin back again. I was completely forgotten on the side lines. I gasp as I take hold of the knife and pull it from my wound. I bite my lip to prevent myself from crying out.**

**"Of getting stabbed by an airborne knife?" says Al. "Yes, I am!" Honesty is his mistake. Not his refusal, which Eric might have accepted. After everything that has happened today, Eric was pissed. **

**"Clear out of the ring." Eric looks at Al. "All except you. Zania saved your ass, and now look at her. If she is hurt permanently, you'll be following him." Eric nods his head to the still unconscious Drew. His look is venomous. "Stand in front of the target."**

**Al's hands shake. He walks back to the target. "Hey, Four" Eric looks over at Four, who was standing beside me, watching me closely. "Give me a hand here, huh?" Four scratches one of his eyebrows with a knife point and approaches Eric. He has dark circles under his eyes and a tense set to his mouth – He's as tired as everyone else. **

**"You're going to stand there as he throws whose knives," Eric says to Al, "until you learn not to flinch." Four is a good aim, but I don't know whether Four trusts himself enough to not hit Al. Slowly, I remove my shirt, sitting only in my bra, but I have to slow the bleeding somehow. I placed my shirt onto the large stab wound, applying pressure to slow the blood flow. My vision was drifting in and out, spots scattering my vision. I removed a bandage from the first aid kit and wrapped it securely around my shirt to keep the shirt in place. I glanced to the door, begging that Myra will return shortly with a nurse. Sure we are dauntless, but we have nursing facilities.**

**"Is this really necessary?" says Four. He sounds bored, but he doesn't look bored. His face and body are tense, alert. Eric stares at Four in silence and Four stares back. Seconds pass, but to me, they felt like minutes. **

**"I have the authority here, remember?" Eric says, so quietly I can barelyhear him. "Here, and everywhere else." Colour rushes into Four's face, though his expression does not change. His grip on the knives tightens and his knuckles turn white as he turns to face Al. "Erudite, watch Zania." Eric yells to Will, pointing over to me as my breaths turn extremely heavy. I feel water run down my cheeks, tears, but no sounds of hurt really come from me. My breaths are heavy and audible, but I do not cry.**

**"Stop it!" Tris yells. Four turns the knife in his hand, his fingers moving painstakingly over the metal edge. He gives her such a hard look that I feel like he's turning me to stone. "Any idiot can stand in front of a target" she says. "It doesn't prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall, is a sign of cowardice." **

**"Then it should be easy for you," Eric says. "If you're willing to take his place." Tris walks forward, Peter shoving her as she goes through. I can't hear what he says to her, but she looks shaken. I find it hard to breath by this point. The pain in my stomach has become a numb pain, as my head begins to cloud. I won't be able to keep myself conscious for much longer. I am losing too much blood.**

**"Are you ok?" Will asks, crouching down beside me. I can't speak, so instead I slowly nod my head. I slip in and out of consciousness, loosing pressure on the wound, so Will placed his hand over it to hold it for me. I slips out of consciousness before Four can even throw the first knife.**

**I awaken in the infirmary some time later. My stomach was bandaged up and I felt clean. I sat up in bed, feeling no pain at all, but when I place my hand on my face, I feel the still healing bruises. I knew I would be under some heavy anaesthetic, I was stabbed by a knife after all. A nurse walks in, silently handing me a glass of yellow liquid. I stare at it, unsure of what to make of it. **

**"It's a pain killing tonic." She mutters, handing me a bottle of the stuff. The bottle is labelled with my name and a required dosage. I have to take it everyday for a week. I down the glass of tonic, the liquid tasting quite tangy on my tongue, but it makes me feel relaxed. It was obviously developed by the Erudite. "It's the day before visiting day. 7:30am." The nurse informs me, before leaving me a pile of clothes to change into and exiting the room. I raise by eyebrow at her abrupt leaving, but I don't question it. The nurses aren't dauntless, they are abnegation volunteers. Makes since since any dauntless nurse would tell you to suck it up and live with the pain, no matter how severe.**

**After I get changed, I make my way back to the transfer's dormitory. It is late compared to the time we usually awaken, so I hope no one is in there. My hopes were short lived however, for as soon as I walk in, I see Tris lose her towel due to Peter grabbing a hold of it, revealing her naked body. Without thinking, I ran over, ripped the towel from Peter's hands, punched him in the face and ran out after Tris. I feel a light stab of pain in my stomach as I run, but it is nothing compared to the emotional pain Tris must be feeling right now.**

**I sprint down the hallway to the bathroom after Tris, but when I try to open the door, I can't. Tris is leaning against it, and I hear a sob echo out the door. It was short, so I can only guess that Tris has cut herself off.**

**"Tris is Zania, let me in please." She does so, so I walk into the bathroom and hand her the towel. Tris gives me a grateful smile and turns around to get dressed. "I punched him for you."**

**Tris turns back to me, wearing a plain black, V-neck dress that shows a tattoo on her collarbone and reaches to her knees. It suits her, and really makes her small body look good. She doesn't look like she needs to cry anymore, instead she looks angry. But not at me, at Peter.**

**"Thank you, but I'll handle them myself." She tells me, staring at herself in the mirror. I see her Dauntless rage filling her from top to bottom and feel excited to see her kick their asses. I accompany Tris to the pit to get better fighting clothes for the day. After she gets changed, we head to the training room for our last fights. As we walk in, Christina comes up to us, but only speaks with Tris. I don't mind, I don't care whether she likes me or not.**

**I see Tris glancing between the board and Christina, eager to find out who she is facing. I know she wants to fight Peter so bad, but after what happened the last time, I doubt that Four would pair them together again.**

**Four steps away from the board, and reveals the five pairings. Third on the list is Drew's name, with a blank beside it. Obviously they didn't know whether I would be back today or not. I don't blame him, if it wasn't for the tonic I probably wouldn't be standing. First is Will and Myra, followed by Christina and Al then Drew and myself, Peter and Edward then Tris and Molly. Tris grins. It may not be Peter, but Molly is close enough.**

**I feel a pull on my arm, and turn to face Eric, who is giving me an angry look. He obviously didn't want me to be here today, but if I want to make sure I am staying in Dauntless, I had to be here for this fight.**

**"What are you doing?" He asked, his voice harsh and his words short. I stand up straight, not letting my injury bother me. I felt fine for now, but by the time I fight Drew, I may need another dose. I won't take it thought, I will not let anyone think I have an upper hand.**

**"Staying in Dauntless." I reply, watching as Eric's eyes soften. He looks at a clipboard he held and back at me. I wasn't sure what was written on that board, but whatever it was, it made Eric change his mind.**

**"You lose this fight and I cannot guarantee you will stay in Dauntless. You are being ranked with the Dauntless-born and losing to that-" Eric stopped, shooting Drew an extremely angry look. Drew wasn't quite off the hook for hitting me with a knife yesterday. "will put you right down."**

**"I know." I say softly, feeling a slight pain in my stomach. I wasn't nervous about his abilities, but I was nervous about whether or not my wound would hold together or not. If I were to rip it open, I wouldn't know how the fight would end.**

**Myra and Will face each other in the ring and for a second they both shuffle back and forth, one jerking an arm forward and then retracting it, the other kicking and missing. Across the room, Four leans against the wall and yawns. Will comes out victorious. All falls after a few hard hits to the face and doesn't get back up, which makes Eric shake his head. **

**It is now my fight with Drew. I walk into the arena, anger bursting through my veins. I was going to make him pay for what he did to me yesterday, or Eric would. Though, looking at his nose, it looks like Eric already did. Drew looks cocky, remembering how badly hurt I was yesterday, but it was to his disadvantage.**

**Drew wasted no time. He came for me, slowly, but surely. He was aiming for my stomach, obvious by the first attempt to hit my stomach. He was using my weakness to his advantage. I turn to my right, so if he did hit me, it wouldn't hurt me too much. I feel pain in my stomach anyway, the tonic beginning to wear off. I had to finish this fast. I ran for Drew, feigning a punch to his stomach. He dropped his arms ready to block my hit, so I hit him straight in the face. I felt his nose move and watched as it bled again. I must have re broken it.**

**Drew groans in pain, placing one hand up to his nose. While he is distracted, I kick him in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground in a heavy heap. A sharp pain shoots through me from the movement in my stomach from having to kick so high. I wasn't much shorter than Drew, but I still had to kick hard enough to knock him down.**

**I clenched my teeth and slammed my foot into his stomach again, causing blood to fly from Drew's mouth. I feel a wetness by my stomach and I don't even have to look to know the stab wound was bleeding again. I had to finish this quickly. As I moved to kick Drew in the side, he grabbed my ankle, pulling me down onto my back. I felt at a loss for breath, but I won't finish. Before Drew can do more, I roll on top of him, slamming my fist into his face again. I hit his jaw, his head whipping to the side. He looked dizzy, so I knew it would take on or two more punches to finish him. In my anger, I back handed Drew, leaving a red mark on the side of his face before punching him in the jaw again, knocking him out. As I came down from my adrenaline, I felt the pain in my stomach more severely. I climbed off of Drew's unconscious body and slowly moved out of the ring, my hand over my stomach. I pulled a first aid pack out of my bag and the tonic the nurse gave me, realizing that I was supposed to take it every half an hour. I looked at the clock, it had been almost two hours since then. I had missed four doses. I lifted my shirt, and removed the now blood stained gauze from my stomach. It wasn't that bad, I had ripped two stiches of 10 from the found, so I placed sterile strips across it and a patch before wrapping it up in a new gauze. Eric nodded at me and gave me a very light concerned smile. I smiled back and nodded, silently telling him that I was fine. I took a double dose of the pain medication to make up for those that I had missed. I felt almost instantly better.**

**Edward and Peter take longer. Though they are the two best fighters, the disparity between them is noticeable. Edward's fist slams into Peter's jaw, and I remember what Will said about him—that he has been studying combat since he was ten. It's obvious. He is faster and smarter than even Peter. Tris walks to the arena without looking at anyone or anything but the center of the room. Some of her anger has faded, but it isn't hard to call back. **

**Molly stands across from Tris. "Was that a birthmark I saw on your left butt cheek?" she says, smirking. "God, you're pale, Stiff." She'll make the first move. She always does. Molly starts toward Tris and throws her weight into a punch. As her body shifts forward, Tris ducks and drives her fist into Molly's stomach, right over her bellybutton.**

**Before she can get her hands on Tris, she slips past her, hands up, ready for Molly's next attempt. She's not smirking anymore. She runs at Tris like she's about to tackle her, and Tris darts out of the way. Tris blocks her next punch with mher forearm. Molly grits her teeth and lets out a frustrated groan, more animal-sounding than human. She tries a sloppy kick at Tris' side, which she dodges, and while Molly's balance is off, Tris rushes forward and forces her elbow up at Molly's face. She pulls her head back just in time, and Tris' elbow grazes her chin. She punches Tris in the ribs and she stumbles to the side, recovering her breath. Tris watches her for a few seconds. Molly's hands are too high; they guard her nose and cheeks, leaving her stomach and ribs exposed. Molly and Tris have the same flaw in combat.**

**Their eyes meet for just a second.**

**Tris aims an uppercut low, below her bellybutton. Her fist sinks into Molly's flesh, forcing a heavy breath from her mouth. As she gasps, Tris sweep-kicks her legs out from under her, and Molly falls hard on the ground, sending dust into the air. Tris pulls her foot back and kicks as hard as she can at Molly's ribs. Molly curls into a ball to protect her side, and Tris kicks again, this time hitting her in the stomach. She kicks again, this time hitting Molly in the face. Blood springs from her nose and spreads over her face. Another kick hits her in the chest. Tris pulls her foot back again, but Four's hands clamp around her arms, and he pulls her away from Molly with force. The fights are over and that one was impressive. I am proud of Tris right now. She really is turning out to be a great Dauntless member.**

**All the transfers leave for lunch, the critical time before their family arrives, leaving me alone in the training room with Eric. He walks over to me, rather quickly, and crouches down beside me.**  
**"Are you okay?" He asks, giving me a quick look over. Colour had returned to my cheeks and my breathing was back to normal. I felt no pain, so I assumed I was okay again.**  
**"Yeah I am fine." I burble, standing to me feet with ease. I don't want to be too loud, it hurt a bit to do so. Eric stood up as well, walking from the room with me. I feel like the events of the day before had done something to our relationship. Eric was watching everywhere as we walked, as if he was worried a knife would come flying out at any time. He did push me into the path of that knife, after all, to teach me a lesson for speaking out against him when Al was being a coward. I don't know what it was, but something was different about Eric in the last two days and I was going to find out what.**

**Visiting day has arrived, a fact that caused my heart to beat rapidly, not in anticipation, but in grief. I didn't get to see my parents today. Usually, their death doesn't affect me. I have gotten used to the idea that they aren't around anymore, but seeing people will their parents or even brothers and sisters upset me. I had no siblings and I had no parents. There was nothing for me. **

**That's the reason I continue to this day to turn down Uriah's offer. It was _his_ family, not mine. He deserved to spend this day alone with his family, to catch up and spend time as a family, without any extras. If I was his girlfriend, not saying that I wanted to be, than it would be different. But I am only his friend and couldn't impose on them like that.**

**As I finish making my bed, Eric walks in and his eyes scan over us all. Al is missing already, but I don't dwell on it. Maybe he already went down there.**  
**"Attention!" He announces, flicking a lock of dark hair from his eyes. I ignore him, knowing he is going to speak about the visiting day, why else would he speak to us today? "I want to give you some advice about today. If, by some miracle, your families do come and visit you…" He scans out faces and smirks. He didn't even look in my direction. I had no doubt he had heard of my parents, but they died a bit before his time here so he wouldn't know them personally. "…which I doubt, it is best not to seem too attached. That will make it easier for you, and easier for them. We also take the phrase 'faction before blood' very seriously here. Attachment to you family suggests you aren't entirely please with your faction, which would be shameful. Understand?" I did understand, but I didn't need to. Either way, my parents were dauntless so even if they weren't dead, I wouldn't need to worry. Of course, we were never closely attached, all of us having grown up Dauntless. **

**I turn to walk out of the dormitory, and watch as Eric stops Tris from leaving. I don't hear what they are talking about but really, could it be good? I slowly walk closer to hear. I feel like a snitch, but I don't want either of them to get into a fight in the middle of the dormitory. I am surprised by what I hear.**  
**"You did well yesterday." He compliments, but there is a strange look in his eyes, one that I cannot make out. I don't know how to interpret it. I know whatever it is, it isn't good. Tris looks rather sick to her stomach as she mutters back her thanks and swiftly exits the room. I decide to duck behind one of the bunks before Eric can see me, in order to figure out the last few days without Eric messing up my chain of thought. **

**Eric, unfortunately, doesn't leave straight away. He hasn't seen me and isn't aware that I am still in the room. I watch as he walks towards my bunk and takes a seat on it. I sleep under Peter, but he isn't that bad when he is asleep. He hardly moves. I don't know what Eric is doing. He doesn't move for a few minutes, just sits on my bed and stares at the ground. Shortly after, though he leaves and I don't follow him.**

**Instead, I spend a long time in the shower. I make sure to completely wash myself down, hair included. I felt refreshed afterwards and even remained in the hot shower to relax my muscles. I could use this day as a reconciliation day, to prepare for the next stage of initiation. I was certain I was safe from becoming factionless this time around, but I couldn't say the same for the remaining two stages. No amount of training could prepare you for what you face.**

**Once I am done with my shower, I put on my typical dauntless outfit and leave my hair down so it tickled my waist. I hadn't felt this feeling in a long time, it seems. I had my hair up every day to keep it out of my way. I head over to the cafeteria to have breakfast, but unfortunately, that means walking through the pit. As I arrive there, I see many families, most for the dauntless-born initiates and other members, but there are transfers standing around with parents or siblings who came to see them. I see the Candor black and white and even Abnegation grey telling me that Tris' mum had come to see her. Not wanting to stay any longer, I hurried through the pit and into the almost empty cafeteria. Those who don't have anyone to see today were here, getting a bite to eat like normal. Most don't look phased and I can only assume that by the age of them, their parents were dead and they didn't have kids of their own to see.**

**I get a usual breakfast, bacon and eggs, and eat it quickly. Families would start to move in soon once the initial reunions were over. I stood and exited the cafeteria, only to bump into someone on the way out. I begin to apologies, but as I look up, I see that it is Eric.**  
**"Not seeing your family?" He asks, looking a little dejected himself. His own family mustn't be here, but then again I don't know if he has any or anything about his situation.**  
**"They're dead actually." I told him, walking with me back towards the transfer dorm. Eric doesn't look at me sympathetically, death is something everyone deals with in Dauntless. There is no escape from it, only a way of coping with it, which I have done and Eric has done. Some people need to understand this.**  
**"I didn't see you in the dorm this morning." He says as I open the door, walking in the sit on my bed. Eric follows, but stands in front of me, obviously not wanting to sit down without an invitation. I pat the mattress beside me, so he sits.**  
**"I wanted to go before all the families came. I am not in the mood to watch transfers dote over their families." I reply, leaning back to lay with my arms behind my head. I close my eyes and feel my body relax again. I feel the bed shift beside me, and Eric move my still damp hair delicately out of my face. I open my eyes, to see him playing with it.**  
**"Ready for the next part of initiation?" He asks, moving off of the subject of families. I have a feeling that there was something specific he wanted to speak to me about, because he was changing topics fast. At least he didn't just out right say it to me. He cared about having a proper conversation.**  
**"That's if I passed part 1." I reminded him, a small part of me in the back of my mind reminded me that I did take a knife to the stomach and a nasty fall the first time around with Eric, so I might be lower than I would like to be, though I stand undefeated by the transfers. Eric seemed to understand my worry, for he didn't console me about it. That or he wants to keep it a secret just to annoy me. I am not sure which seems most probable. "Plus you can't prepare yourself for what comes next."**  
**"Very true. Unless you know yourself well enough to know what you can expect to see." Eric says, dropping my hair beside me and standing again. I sat up to watch him slowly walk to the door. "I'll see you soon." Was all he said as he walked out the door. The conversation confused me. I am not sure what the purpose was, or why he came all the way down here to talk to me about initiation., but I did know one thing.**

**It was time to recall my fears.**

**I walked to the mirror and looked myself in the eyes. The first fear that I know I have lays on my body. I push up my sleeves and look at the various scars left by knife wounds, broken bones and deep abrasions from battle. Then I see the smaller, white scars. The ones left only by myself when the pain of being hurt became addictive. When I first hit puberty and I was fighting increasingly more difficult opponents, one boy, Uriah no less, beat me so hard that I couldn't walk for days. Two days after, I was back to fight him again. And again and again. I couldn't beat him no matter what I did. So I started training. I trained myself to forget the pain, to get used to it. **

**I started off with bruises. I would punch myself, as other people to punch me, until I got used to the pain of that then gradually I would increase the severity of the pain. By the end, the first time I beat Uriah, I had craved the feeling of the pain that I started doing it every day. Every time I lost, I would inflict more severe injuries on myself just because it felt good to punish myself for failing. If it wasn't for Uriah, I would probably still be doing it and now I fear going back to that. Going back to the time where I craved the win so badly, craved the pain so badly that I would hurt myself to get it.**

**I still feel the need to do it today. But I fear of what people would think. Fear what I would think of myself. I stopped for a reason and now I live through every day trying to avoid it. I guess that's why my pain tolerance is so high. I can't think of any other fears and that scares me. I was going into the second stage blind and that scares me. **

**Failure scared me.**

**I removed myself from the mirror and pulled my sleeves back down. I can't afford to think too much into it, or I won't be able to stop myself. As an alternative, I decide to use the rest of my tattoo getting a new ink. I head to the pit, pleased to find that it was relatively empty now. Many people decide to show their families around and take them out for a while during their time today. It was the closest thing they had to reconciliation for changing factions. I walk up the narrow pathway to the tattoo parlor, straight away looking through the books. I decide to get a tattoo that means nothing to me. Purely because it looks cool. I lay down on my left side and lift up my shirt and bra to allow the tattooist to do his work.**

**When he was done, I was left with a tattoo the was 3 dimensional, showed my 'ribs' as if I had no skin or muscle there and under them were cogs and machinery, as if I was robotic. Strings of skin pulled across the top as if holding it all together. It was cool. While I was here, I decided to get my dermal piercing that I spoke to Eric about. I can recall the warmth of his calloused finger pressed lightly on my cheekbone in line with the outer corner of my right eye. It was just a normal fake diamond stud, but it looked nice when it was done. I got my Helix pierced on my left ear, which I have wanted to get for a few months now and keep forgetting to do. Now that I have, I am pleased. Eric was right about the placement of the dermal, and the Helix really balances out the jewelry on my face. **

**It was dinner time by the time I was done, so I headed over to the cafeteria again. As I walked in, Uriah met up with me and dragged me over to sit with his family against my protest. His big brother, Zeke, hugged me as we arrived.**  
**"Zania! I love the dermal." Zeke said, pulling me into the seat beside him. Uriah seconded his older brother's opinion with an excited nod while his mouth was full of food. Hana, their mother, hugged me across the table and also commented positively on my new jewelry. I showed them my Helix as well.**  
**"I got a new tattoo as well, but it was big so it will be covered for a little while." I told them, laughing as Zeke and Uriah complained, telling me to be Dauntless and to take it off and show them. I refused, wanting to keep it a secret, upsetting both boys. Dinner was a blast, Zeke and Uriah see Hana every now and again if they cross paths in the pit, but other than that there was no way of finding each other, so it was nice to get together like this. Even if I was added to the group.**

**After dinner we all parted ways, Uriah and I leaving so that I could show him the transfers dormitory. Apparently, the Dauntless-Born initiates got single beds all to themselves. Suddenly I hated the idea of sleeping under Peter. As I open the door, I see Al sling his arm around Tris, so I quietly close the door again. My thoughts were racing. I knew Tris was a likeable person, but her and Four spent a lot of time together and after the episode with Eric this morning, I wasn't sure what to think of her friendliness. Was she just trying to get up the ranks? I don't know.**  
**"Well that was fun." Uriah commented, laughing slightly at the sight we both saw. It didn't take long for Tris to come out of the room, looking almost rushed to get away. That only confused me more. With a shrug, Uriah and I entered the room, to see Al seated on Tris' bed still, his head in his hands. I tell Uriah to wait by the door for a moment, while I talked to Al. He did, in ear shot mind you, just in case.**  
**"Al? You ok?" I asked, sitting beside him. I wasn't the favourite of the transfers, but when Al gives me a dirty look and storms from the room, I am shocked and somewhat hurt. I have helped them out during this initiation, and they still think I am a bad person. Uriah raises and eyebrow and shakes his head in mock disapproval.**  
**"Poor kids. What have you done to them?" Uriah jokes, looking around the small room in awe. Our dorm was half the size of theirs, hence the bunks, but they both had the same amount of people in them. It was obvious they were trying to make us feel as uncomfortable as they could.**  
**"I thought I was helping them?" I laughed, pushing Uriah away from him as he put his hand over his heart, teasing me some more. He chuckled and picked me up around the waist, throwing me onto my bed. Uriah climbs in on top of me, sitting on my legs to keep me down. I tried to roll so he would fall off, but it doesn't work. He is too heavy for me like this. Uriah tilts his head inquiringly, placing his finger gently on my dermal. I don't even flinch.**  
**"It really does look good, Zah." Uriah whispered, as if speaking too loud would break the comfortableness of our time together. I had known Uriah for years, we were closer than I was with anyone, except maybe Zeke and now even Eric. He has always been around for me, even when my parents died. So his statement didn't come off to me as strange. What did, was the little kiss he left on my cheek as he climbed off and left the room, similar to how Eric had done earlier. I was left with more questions without answers.**

**What happened between Tris and Eric?**  
**What happened between Tris and Al?**  
**Where do I stand with Eric?**  
**Where do I stand with Al and the other transfers?**  
**and most importantly**  
**What just happened between Uriah and I?**

**I went straight to bed that night, I didn't even wait up for anyone. If I didn't go to sleep now, my mind would only spiral into a hurricane of questions that I won't be able to put away to go to sleep, so I got to sleep before that can happen. **

**Sleep didn't last long. A blood curdling scream awoke everyone in the dormitory. My eye quickly adjust to the dark, being so used to it, that I see someone laying on the ground just feet from me, and a pool of blood is forming around them,**  
**"Turn on the lights!" I shout, rushing over to kneel beside the body. I am close enough now to see it is Edward and that a butter knife from the cafeteria is sticking out from his eye. The light comes on almost immediately. I grab hold of Edward's hands and pin them by his side. No matter how much pain he is in, he cannot pull out the knife. This isn't like my wound. He is never going to be able to see out of hat eye again, plus we don't know how deep the wound is. Myra screams. I expect nothing more, since her and Edward have been dating for a long time. Another scream echoes through the room, the door open while a shout for help echoes down the hallway. Tris kneels down beside Edward's head, while I hover above him, holding him still under my weight.**  
**"Lie still." She says. She looks calm, something I silently congratulate her on. In the whole room, at least she can keep her composure enough to help me out. Edward thrashes again, but I hold him down, as Tris says, louder, "I said lie still. Breathe."**  
**"My eye!" He screams. He sounds like he is in unbelievable pain, something I can relate too. Sure, I have never had a knife in my eye, but I have had various other serious wounds. Someone vomits, and the smell wafts through the room.**  
**"Take it out!" he yells. "Get it out, get it out of me, get it out!" Tris shakes her head and a bubble of laughter escapes her lips. Hysteria is fighting to take control, and she can't let it happen. In the moment of shock, when Edward needs her most, the last thing she can let happen is to become hysterical.**  
**"No," she says. "You have to let the doctor take it out. Hear me? Let the doctor take it out. And breathe."**  
**"Edward," I whisper by his ear, rubbing my thumb over his bare chest in hopes it will calm him down. It seems to do so, so I continue to whisper in his ear. "Be strong Edward, for Myra. You need to be strong for Myra and for yourself. You've got this."**  
**"It hurts," he sobs, tears streaking down his face from the one eye. I remove my shirt, leaving me only in a crop top and my underwear. I really should learn to wear more clothes to bed. I shake my head and wipe the blood from his face.**  
**"I know it does," Tris says, still holding his head very still. She was good at forgetting herself, a trait I suppose she learned from Abnegation. A trait useful in these kind of situations. "It will be all right."**

**A nurse arrives shortly later, telling Tris to step back, but asks me to remain where I am. She tells me that she must remove the knife, and that to get ready. Edward will be in a lot of pain, and I have to hold him still. I idly notice that blood is all over me, flicked up from Edward's hands right to my face, or from it dripping off my shirt as I wiped it away. The nurse counts down from three and removes the knife, blood splattering up over my chest and onto my face, but it doesn't faze me. Edward tries to struggle, his screams getting louder. But my weight holds him still. In his hysteria, he hasn't the strength to fight me.**

**The nurse wraps a bandage to his eye with some gauze, before asking me to help slip him onto a gurney, where she takes him away for further treatment. Tris' knees and hands are covered with blood, and she stares angrily at my bunk. That's when I notice two faces were missing. Peter and Drew. No one goes back to sleep that night.**

**As the sun rises, I notice that the rankings were up from the night before. That means Four, the other transfers and possibly Eric were in here while I was sleeping. I felt rather uncomfortable by that thought. With my eyes glued shut, I faced the board and slowly opened my eyes, finding that my name was absent from the rank board.**  
**"Four said to tell you that Eric needs to see you about your rank. It wouldn't have been fair on us if they compared us to you or something like that." Will told me as he walked into the room, naked from the waist up. He had his long Dauntless pants on, though. I looked away.**

**Once I was changed, rid of the blood stained clothes I wore from the events of that night, I rushed out to find Eric, but I didn't have to look far, he was waiting for me at the end of the hallway. Without saying anything, he tilted his head, signaling for me to follow him. I did so silently, not sure why it was suddenly so tense and quiet. At first, I thought we would be going to see the rankings of the Dauntless-born, but we weren't. He was leading me up to the governmental section of the compound. I was lead into a room, where Max sat behind a large table, waiting for us.**  
**"Zania." Max began as Eric took the empty seat beside him. I stood up straight, trying to make myself look bigger. I don't know if it worked. "You're individual ranking was processed by the reports Eric has given us, and your overall performance with the transfers."**  
**I already knew this, but it nerved me to know that it was on Eric's good word that my ranking was determined. Eric didn't meet my eyes, only looked down at the file in front of him. It had my picture on it, with my name written in capital letters across the front. It was already rather thick.**  
**"In a rank out of ten, similar to the rank you received in knife throwing, you received a 10 in individual target assessment of hand held weapons." It was strange hearing Max talk like this. It took a moment for me to process that Eric ranked me a ten out of ten in my aim with a pistol. I felt pride. "In a rank out of ten, you received an eight in hand to hand combat. Minor faults include decision making." I agreed with that one. My physical ability matched that of Eric, whose judgment was greater than mine and brought him out a winner. "Finally in a rank out of ten, you received a nine in individual target assessment of knife throwing in a simulated environment." I already knew this one as it was calculated by the simulation and not Eric. Perhaps this was to make sure that Eric made no biased opinions. Not that he would. "Out of an overall possibility of 30 points, you received a 27 out of 30, putting you in rank 1 in comparison to the Dauntless-Born initiates. Congratulations." Max stood from the desk, shook my hand and left the room. It seemed he had more important things to deal with today. I looked up at Eric, who was finally looking me in the eye. His expression was neutral for a few moments, before a small grin fell on his face. I laughed, feeling relieved. I was not expecting first position, I would have been happy with a 6, but it seems Eric thought I did better than I did.**

**Eric stood from his seat and walked over to me, pulling me into a tight hug. I almost froze from the contact, not having had it since paintball, but soon relaxed.**  
**Then Uriah's face flashed in my mind, and a recollection of what I saw between Eric and Tris the day before. Suddenly I wasn't so contented. Eric released me, noticing my change in demeanor and gave me a worried look.**  
**"Where have you been in the last two days?" I asked softly, not meeting his gaze. Eric's frown twisted into an amused smirk as he released me and placed his hands upon his hips.**  
**"Making sure I didn't give anything about your rank away. You have a way of… making me tell you my secrets." Eric leaned back against the wooden desk, hands on either side of his body. I gave him an annoyed look, due to my constant worry and stress he caused over the last two days. I walked up to him and smacked him on the chest.**  
**"Asshole! I was worried sick!" There was also the incident with Tris that had me confused. A small chuckle bubbled out of Eric's lips as he pulled me into him, tapping my dermal lightly.**  
**"Worried enough that you could go and get these." Without looking away from my eyes, Eric flipped my hair back and ran his thumb over my helix piercing. He took greater notice than I had initially thought.**  
**"I thought you didn't care." I said. Whatever it was about what I said that made Eric mad, it was bad. His eyes went hard and his grip on my waist tightened.**  
**"I saw you in a pool of your own blood and you wouldn't let me do a thing to help you. Especially since I'm the reason you got hit in the first place! I look over and you're fading in and out of consciousness. Then I saw you fighting Drew. I saw the blood running down when you opened it again. The worst part? I knew it was my fault. So don't tell me I don't care." Eric pulled me completely against him, a strong hand on the back of my head to hold me there. He was warm, as if living under ground didn't affect his body temperature. I never thought about the last three days from the point of view of anyone else, I felt sorry for myself. If, for just one moment, I thought this was what Eric felt like seeing me there looking after my own life threatening wound, thinking that it would make me look brave, I would have let him help me. "Let's not forget that I saw you black and blue which was my fault and I knew I put you like that."**  
**"Eric, it doesn't matter!" I exclaim, pulling back enough to look him straight in the eyes. "I'm ok, now. Its fine."**  
**"I don't think it is." Eric released me and headed for the door. He grabbed a hold of the door handle and without looking back, said, "I'm sure Uriah would love to celebrate."**

**He left just like that.**

**What did Eric mean by that? He has seen me, what, once with Uriah? Twice if he's lucky. There was no way he knew about what happened last night, is there? No, he couldn't. No one else was in the room. It was just us.**  
**So what did it mean?**

**I go out to find something to do. Not only was I trying to distract myself from seeing the images of Edward, lying with blood pouring from his eyes, crying in such intense pain, but I also wanted to distract myself from any thoughts about what Eric had just said.**

**Zeke walked past me, stopped and turned to me with a grin.**  
**"Up for a challenge?" He asks, not waiting for my answer. Instead, Zeke grabs my hand and drags me along with him towards an empty hallway. I'm not sure where we are going, but it was the distraction I was looking for. Zeke looks at me and sighs. "You look…"**  
**"Confused? Possibly even tired. More likely scarred." I offered him, knowing that those three things were what I felt the most at that time. Confused about my predicament with Tris, Eric and Uriah, tired because of my complete lack of sleep in the last few days and scarred from what I saw last night. Surely Zeke has heard about that by now.**  
**"I heard about Edward. Any idea who did it?" He asks as we round a corner. I don't know where we are, purely because I haven't been watching. Just following beside Zeke with my eyes on the ground.**  
**"I know exactly who did it. Doesn't mean anything will be done about it. He just better watch out for my fist in the next few hours." Zeke laughs, knowing the extent of the seriousness of my threat. I wasn't joking. If Peter thinks I am going to let him get away with this complete act of cowardice, he was wrong. He better sleep with one eye open tonight.**  
**We wait at the end of another hallway for a few of the Dauntless-Born initiates, and when they come around, I notice Uriah and Tris were a part of the group. Of course, even when I try to escape my problems for a few hours, they follow me like a pack of dogs. Uriah smiles and waves, a contagious grin that I can't help but catching. He walks up to me, acting as if nothing happened between us last night. He hugs me and then punches me in the shoulder.**  
**"How could you beat me?" Uriah pouts. I laugh, knowing that my rank would have shown up with theirs. I was first, and he was second. I was better than Uriah and right now, I felt like the old dauntless. Back to when Uriah was my rival and I would do anything it took to beat him.**  
**"Looks like all of my hard work has paid off after all." I say. Uriah gets my statement, for he laughs and nods.**  
**"Let's go." One of the members says. He turns and plunges through a dark doorway. The other members follow him and we follow them. I stay close by Zeke, knowing finally where we were. The back staircase is usually locked. I remember what today is. Almost like an initiation ritual, siblings of members going through initiation get brought out, where their bravery gets tested. I don't know what the test is, though. **

**We emerge from the ground a few hundred yards from the glass building above the pit, close to the train tracks. A train is coming our way, so we get ready to get on. Now is a time for showing off. Members and other initiates are around and I have to prove to them why I am in the number one position at the end of the first stage. I start running, my timing perfect, as I launch off my hands and flip into the car, landing on one knee. Zeke laughs as he jumps in with me, pushing me over to ruin my entrance.**  
**"Show off." He comments, sitting down beside me. He gives me a look that I know. He remembers about my tattoo. "Show me."**  
**"No, you called me a show off." I pouted, but it won't stop him. Zeke pinned me down and pulled my shirt up, grinning at possibly my coolest tattoo ever.**  
**"It's awesome!" He says, getting off me and allowing me to sit up again. I push him lightly, mock annoyed at him, but like his brother, I can't help but smile when he does. They are always so happy-go-lucky.**

**We sit with our legs dangling out of the cart. The train ride wasn't very long, but it was enough to get settled before finding out what exactly it is we are doing. The initiates aren't allowed to know, it ruins the surprise.**  
**"Here we go!" shouts Shauna. The train doesn't slow down, but she throws herself out of the car. Zeke and I follow straight away. The hub is behind us, black against the clouds, but the buildings around me are dark and silent. That means we must be north of the bridge, where the city is abandoned. We turn a corner and spread out as we walk down Michigan Avenue. South of the bridge, Michigan Avenue is a busy street, crawling with people, but here it is bare. It isn't hard to tell where we are going from here. The Hancock building is the tallest building this side of the bridge. Are we going to climb it?**

**My question was answered the second Zeke and I pushed through the broken glass door ahead of everyone else. We walk over towards the elevator bank, surprising Tris. It was all over her face.**  
**"Do the elevators work?" She asks Uriah, as quietly as she can, which really isn't that quiet. Zeke hears her as well.**  
**"Sure they do," he says, rolling his eyes. "You think I am stupid enough not to come here early and turn on the emergency generator?"**  
**"Yeah," says Uriah, coming to Tris' aid. "I kinda do."**  
**Zeke glares at his brother, then puts him in a headlock and rubs his knuckles into Uriah's skull. Zeke may be smaller than Uriah, but he is much stronger. Or at least faster. Uriah smacks him in the side, and he lets go.**

**Uriah's hair is disheveled, making me grin. My grin falls when I see it amuses Tris too. For some reason, he being here annoyed me and I knew she had the ability to drop my rank in the initiation. I had to watch her closely.**

**We pile in, members in one and unfortunately, I am stuck with the initiates in the other. Lynn stomps on Tris' toes on her way in and doesn't apologize. I wish I could have done the same. Uriah pats his hair down in the reflection on the elevator doors. "What floor?" Lynn asks.**  
**"One hundred." Says Tris, as if she knows everything about dauntless and what they're doing. Right now, everything she does is annoying me beyond belief. Hanging around with my best friend that I have known my whole life is a big no no.**  
**"How would _you_ know that?" Lynn asks what we are all thinking.**  
**"Lynn, come on," says Uriah. "Be nice."**  
**"She wasn't the only one who saw that kid get stabbed you know." Lynn retorts, throwing her arm around my shoulder. I didn't even need to tell her for her to know that I am getting pissed off with Tris. "What about your _best friend_?"**  
**"We're in a one-hundred-story abandoned building with some dauntless," Tris retorts, trying to move the conversation on. "Why don't _you_ know that?"**  
**Lynn doesn't respond. She just jams her thumb into the right button and give Uriah and Tris a deadly glare. I bite the inside of my lower lip and lean against the wall. **

**The elevator zooms upwards, making my stomach sink. I grin as Tris has to take a hold of the railing to keep her balance. As we continue to climb up and up, I notice that Uriah finally gets his hair smooth again.**  
**He stands so close to Tris that a jealous rage comes over me. Not because of romantic interest, but because Uriah is my best friend and here he is defending her against those of us he has known for 10 times as long as he has known her. First Eric, and now Uriah. Where will she stop?**

**"I wonder how we'll get to the roof from…" Uriah's voice trails off. A strong wind hits me, pushing my ponytail around behind me. There is a gaping hole in the ceiling of the hundredth floor. Zeke props an aluminum ladder against the edge and starts to climb. The ladder creaks and sways beneath his feet, but he keeps climbing, whistling as he does. When he reaches the roof, he turns around and holds the top of the ladder, gesturing for me to go up first.**

**One by one everyone climbs up after. The wind is so strong, it's all I can hear and a cold chill goes over me, but I forget about it. What I see sends a grisly rush of adrenaline through my veins.**

**We are zip lining. **

**The cable attached to one of the steel poles on top of the building is as round as my wrist. On the roof top next to it is a pile of slings, made of a tough, thick fabric to support our weight the whole way down. Zeke grabs one and attaches it to a pulley that hangs from the steel cable. Zeke gestures me over to him.**  
**"You going first?" He asks me, before anyone else has the chance to get here. I shake my head, not sure what exactly I have to do.**  
**"I'll go second. So I can see how it goes first. Don't want to make a fool of myself." I tell him, nudging his shoulder lightly. Zeke laughs.**  
**"Sure thing. Shauna can go first, you can follow after her." Zeke says. I smile and nod, following the cable down the length of Lake Shore Drive, where it disappears through trees and buildings. I don't know where it ends, and I don't care. I just want to do it.**  
**"Oh my God," says Uriah from behind me, but I don't turn to look at him. Shauna walks over and jumps into the sling. She wiggles forward on her stomach until most of her body is supported by the black fabric. Zeke pulls her forward towards the end of the building and counts down from five. Shauna gives him a thumbs up as he shoves her forward.**  
**Lynn gasps as Shauna hurtles towards the ground at a steep incline, headfirst. She remains secure in the sling, which is a promising sign. By now, I am beyond excited.**  
**"Can you not count down for me?" I ask Zeke as he sets my sling up while everyone woops and pumps their fists. "Just run forward from here and let me go?"**  
**"You're crazy." Zeke says, shaking his head at me in amusement. It's funny, the amount of times I have heard those same two words in the last week. I'm starting to think maybe I am becoming crazy; thirsting for rush and danger, more so than ever before. He doesn't stop me doing it though. I jump into it headfirst, but on my back. Zeke looks down at me, laughing as he straps me in tight. **

**"Tem bucks says she screams!" Uriah calls through the line of dauntless, who cheer and urge on Zeke to make a bet too.**  
**"You're on, but let's put the stakes up, shall we? How about 50?" Zeke crosses his arms, smirking at his little brother. Uriah laughs and nods his head, shaking hands with his brother. Uriah walks over and pulls my hair out of its ponytail.**  
**"Have fun." He says. Zeke grabs hold of the sling and sprints towards the edge of the building, pushing me off with all his force. I am already going faster than Shauna was, but I zip my lips. Half way down, when I can just hear Zeke's yells, I shout to them.**  
**"50 bucks on Uriah!" I have it under true belief that Uriah will scream down this zip line, it's just the way he is. Zeke calls down after me, with a 'you're on'.**  
**They sky runs in front of me, clouds of all shapes and sizes fluffy in the air. It was a beautiful sight. My hair whipped out around me, blanketing me in its softness. My heart is beating, but not because of the zip line, no, but because of how magnificent this truly is. I feel weightless and free, as if I was my own person. The only thing that would make it better was if I didn't have to finish, and initiation wasn't waiting for me at the end. Between Eric, Uriah and Tris, I had a lot not to look forward to. I closed my eyes, letting the wind blow past me, calming me. **

**Trees appear above me, the tweets of birds lulling me as I fly. I feel like one of them, free to fly without worry. I don't slow for another minute, but I don't mind, I want to prolong the enjoyment for as long as I can. Unfortunately, the end comes too soon. I run my fingers through my knotted hair, but I don't care how it looks. I undo the straps and slips out of the sling, landing on my feet, twenty feet down. Shauna hugs me laughing.**  
**"Uriah owes Zeke 50." I tell her once the adrenaline dies down. She laughs, slinging her arm over my shoulder, just like her sister, Lynn, did. "Uriah thought I'd scream."**  
**"Idiot." Shauna comments, knowing me just as well as the boys did by now. A lot of us grew up together. Zeke and Shauna are the same age, as Uriah and I are, so we were together a lot. Same classes, same family trips. They were always there for me, even after my parents died. They were family to me now. Part of my faction.**  
**"I got 50 on Uriah." I told her, watching as she grins.**  
**"That bet I'd buy." **

**7 dauntless members fly down before any of the initiates show their faces. Annoyingly, Tris was the first one down. I don't understand her. One minute she is so weak, a stiff. The next she is the first initiate to dive off a building, other than me, of course. I didn't get it. Uriah is infatuated with her. Half of the members are infatuated with her. And now even Eric is keeping his eye on her. What is it about this stiff that draws everyone to her?**

**She yells, so the other members pump their fists with her. I don't, not that anyone notices anyway. Sure I should cheer her on, but she was so on my nerves today, that I couldn't force myself to do so. I was thankful for her help this morning, but now it is just getting ridiculous. It's like I cannot escape her.**

**When she stops, we all gather around to catch her. A tangle of limbs like a net formed out of our arms. I may not like her much, but she is still a part of my faction for now, and I will always help her out in the end. I couldn't let her die, could I? No. So I gather in too. She was shaking terribly, and thoughts of her hysteria that morning hit me. I have seen her at her most vulnerable, none of these people have. They don't know her like I do. They only know her for her courage and smarts between now and the paintball session. It wasn't much when you think about it.**

**"Look! There he is!" someone says, pointing over towards the building where a small dark shape is sliding down the wire. A few seconds later, we hear a blood curdling scream. I smirk and cheer.**  
**"Zeke owes me 50!" I exclaim, hi fiving Shauna who knew as well. The others laugh and pat me on the back, as we watch Uriah slide down the wire.**  
**"I bet he'll cry."**  
**"Zeke's brother, cry? No way. He would get punched so hard."**  
**"His arms are flailing!"**  
**"He sounds like a strangled cat," Tris says. Everyone laughs again, but I don't. The others are betting in good heart, Tris is teasing my friend and it annoys me. She wants so hard to fit in, that she is trying too hard. I'd love to take her on, and put her in her place. Hopefully I'll get the chance to.**

**When Uriah finally comes to a stop, everyone thrusts their arms into the space between us. Tris looks up and meets Shauna's eyes. "Pretty sure we can't call you stiff anymore," Shauna says. She nods, "Tris."**  
**For some reason, this change in her status boiled my blood. As soon as Uriah falls into our arms and is on the ground, I leave them be. Shauna turns to me.**  
**"What rank did you get anyway, Zah?" She asks. Everyone stops and looks at me, eager to find out where I sit amongst them all. I smirk at Uriah and lift my chin up proudly.**  
**"I'm first." Everyone cheered, while others teased Uriah about coming in second to me. Everyone knew about our rivalry when we were younger. It wasn't hard to miss. I would challenge him to fights every day.**  
**"It's paying off." Shauna said softly, a hand placed gently on my shoulder. She knew about my fear, something only three people knew about. That was her, Uriah and Zeke. Shauna and Uriah I trusted with the information only after Zeke had found me in the training room, beating myself up. He says it was one of the scariest things he has ever witnessed. **

**That evening I walk into the cafeteria, finding Eric sitting at a table on his own. He doesn't look up, but he doesn't have food with him, so I know he is waiting for me. I sit down across from him. Finally he looks up, his eyes scanning my face for any signs. Signs of what, I don't know.**  
**"Did you zip-line?" he asks, leaning back in his chair. By now I was used to the strange looks I was getting from various members around the room. I had been seen enough times with Eric by now that most people weren't shocked.**  
**"Yeah, I went second." I told him, taking small bites of food. I wasn't overly hungry tonight, not really sure why. The tomato sauce on the table, however, reminded me too much of the pool of blood that sat around Edward's head. I pushed it away and lowered my gaze from it.**  
**"How are you feeling?" He asks me, his hands folded tightly in his lap. He looks uncomfortable, which is really strange. Eric has never been nervous around me. Or anyone really.**  
**"Alright." I reply.**

**Eric sighs and leans forward, rubbing my arm lightly with his thumb. That one small action made me relax and remember that Eric and I have a connection stronger than anyone else I know. Not because I knew him, not because he knew me. I felt connected to him in a way I had never felt before, not even with Uriah.**  
**"You have to understand why I said what I did." He says softly, placing a piece of paper in my hand. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked up to ask Eric what it was, but he didn't look at me. Only stood from his seat and left the cafeteria. I opened the paper to read what it said.**

**'meet me at 10:30, in the training room.'**

**It said nothing else. I shoved the paper into my pocket and left the room. I went back to the dormitory to be alone for a while. No one would be back here till around 8 o'clock. It was usually like that anyway. But the last three days have told me that there is no such thing as normal. I begin thinking about what I have learned.**

**First, I have learned that Eric cares for me more than I thought possible.**  
**Second, Tris is slowly pushing her way up the ranks.**  
**Third, Everything I thought I knew is no longer valid.**

**After that, I began thinking about what I still wanted to know. I knew no more than I did the day before. If anything, I had more questions that needed answers. **

**I still don't know what happened between Eric and Tris.**  
**What is Tris and Uriah's relationship**  
**Why is everyone suddenly so interested in her?**  
**What happened between Uriah and I?**  
**Did what happened between Uriah and I mean anything?**  
**What does Eric want to talk about?**

**I am more confused than ever before. One week has changed my perspective a lot. I have met new people, tried new things and grew as I person. I have helped people and hurt people. I just don't know what to do now. My meeting with Eric could change many perspectives and open up doors I didn't want opened. It could leave me with more questions than answers and I don't think I am ready for that. Worse still, the second stage of initiation is tomorrow. I cannot prepare for what I am going to face in the next stage of initiation. I am going in blind with the rest of the initiates.**  
**I cannot guarantee a spot in the top ten.**

**I must have fallen asleep, for I am awaken when people start moving into the dormitory. It's 9:30, which is later than I expected people to get here. That's when I realize that it isn't people coming in, it was only Tris. Where could she have been this late at night? Every single other initiate was already in bed asleep, so who could she have been with? I didn't dwell on that for too long, because now I have to find out how to get out of the dorm without anyone noticing. I couldn't play off going to the bathroom, not with the length that this meeting will take. Just getting to the training room is longer than going to the bathroom.**

**I decided that I didn't care what they all thought. The meeting wasn't secret as such. Sure it was a private conversation, but it wasn't top secret. I got out of bed, pulling on pants and a jacket. I didn't bother trying to look nice. Instead, I tied my hair up into a bun and pulled on some shoes, leaving the room quietly. I am kind enough not to wake up the others when tomorrow was going to be a hard day for everyone. I didn't want to make that worse for them, no matter how much I hated some of them.**

**I rushed down the halls, it was approaching 10pm, and I had to meet Eric at 10:30. But I knew Eric well enough, he expected me there early. I knew I was right, because when I arrived there, he was waiting in the center of the ring for me. He didn't even look up when I came in, the door closing shut swiftly behind me.**

**"Zania." He said, looking up at the final ranking boards. One for the transfers and one for the dauntless-born. My name was written in a different hand writing at the top of the board, writing I can only guess to be Eric's.**

**"Eric." I replied, walking up to stand beside him. He looked diverged as his eyes met mine. I suspect that the reason for that confliction doesn't lie with just me, but the experiences we have all experienced in the past week. Something is being established deep in the government of Dauntless, something strong and dangerous. I fear that is what has pre-occupied Eric's thoughts as of late. How do I know that? I don't know. I just have a feeling. My private meeting with Max and himself? Why go to such lengths? Something is sitting wrong here. "Why did you ask me here?"**

**"I haven't seen you much in the last few days." Eric says, walking away from me to sit down against the wall. He looked up expectantly, silently inviting me to sit beside him. I did so, a slight smile on my face. Hopefully I can catch a glimpse of the Eric I have come to know in the last week. A reassurance that he is still there and still with me. "I've missed your company."**

**Something in what he says hurts me. It wasn't me he missed, at least he won't admit to missing me, only in the companionship I have given him. I let my eyes fall to the ground. I do not wish to argue tonight, only seek comfort in the idea that he might need me. That the brave Dauntless leader needs me, like many others need their lovers and friends, to seek relief and security.**

**"Then why didn't you come get what you missed?" I asked him, not caring anymore what he thought of me. Eric has seen me in some of my most vulnerable moments and I have seen him in his. I thought that he needed me, but maybe I was wrong.**

**"I was afraid." Eric admitted, gazing at me in that susceptible way that he does, only when I am around. The way where he feels comfortable to show me. Maybe I was right, in a deep, deluded sort of way. I was right and wrong. Perhaps it was the less momentous, less apparent displays of fondness that mean the most in any sort of affiliation; the most significant. **

**"Of what?" I question.**

**"Rejection?" Eric utters, his eyes no longer on mine, but on the ring around his finger, the one I had noticed the first day of hand to hand combat. I think, tonight, I would finally understand the meaning behind it. "Loss of what I truly care for?" **

**"And what's that, Eric?" I realize now, that Eric's self-solitude and confinement extends deep into his past. His thoughts all day and night are riddled with confusion and a sense of final belonging. **

**"Bravery. Fearlessness." Eric lists, handing his ring over to me. I saw the look in his eyes at that moment. Never have I seen him so open with me. His eyes alone are begging for my understanding. 'You."**

**Eric leaned quickly towards me, his hand pressed firmly on my cheek as we shared the most passionate kiss.**

**I must have fallen asleep, because I awaken by the slam of the training room door. I sit straight up, cold on the ground, to look Uriah straight in the eye. Eric is no where around, so I can only assume he had left me during the night. Following the kiss, we laid together on the ground, just talking about the other initiates. Not the most romantic pillow talk, but it was better than nothing. Sometime following that, I must have fallen asleep and Eric didn't even have the courtesy to wake me.**

**With a sigh, I stood up, realizing how late it must be. But Uriah doesn't look to be too impressed either, so it couldn't be too late. He would be at training by now. Uriah walks over to me, only wearing a pair of plaid pyjama pants, shirtless and helps me up. He puts the back of his hand on my head, his eyebrows creased in worry and confusion. By the look of relief on his face, he found nothing wrong. **

**Uriah escorted me silently back to the transfer dormitory, where he kissed my cheek and walked away. No words were passed between us, but his actions only confused me more. How did he know where I was? More questions that will fall on deaf ears.**

**I do not understand why Uriah suddenly feels the need to be affectionate with me, like it was the first time we had ever met and our emotions for each other were different. But I felt nothing more than an intense friendship for Uriah, we had grown up together after all, he has helped me through a lot. I sighed, slumping into the dormitory, finding everyone already awake and fairly well dressed. Knowing I was still in the same clothes as yesterday, I grabbed them and walked to the showers. After a quick rinse, I got dressed and hurried to breakfast. Everyone was already there, and almost done, except me. Because of the night's events, I was running late and it was obvious that Eric had been able to tell, too, because he only slightly glanced at me, smirked, and turned back to his conversation with Max. That was the last time he looked at me all breakfast. I headed over and sat down with Tris, Christina, Al and Will, who looked at me as if I was some stranger. **

**"Hello?" Will asked, a single eyebrow raised. I looked at him, gave him a slight grin and looked back down at my hands in my lap. I didn't realize that I had let my friendship with them slip this much, sure Christina had a mouth on her and I could no longer stand Tris, but at least I knew they would have my back, but after everything that has happened, I don't think anyone can really trust each other. We all knew that it was Peter who had stabbed Edward, but for some reason that didn't make a difference. Everyone was on edge, and suspicious of each other. I suppose spending so much time with Eric didn't help their suspicions against me very much. **

**"Hey." I said, finally collecting my thoughts enough to speak an intelligent sentence. I wasn't nervous or scared of what they thought of me, but I merely needed to get something off of my chest, to make sure that they weren't going to try anything. I looked up to Al and Will, glancing briefly at Tris and Christina, so they wouldn't know that I resented them both. I didn't need more issues in the dormitory. It was bad enough as it is. "I am uh, sorry. Sometimes I'm not the most compassionate person. But I grew up here and that's what they taught us." **

**"Don't go soft on us, Zee." Will grinned, punching my shoulder lightly. I laughed, nudging him back before stealing the bacon off of his plate. "Hey!"**

**"Who's soft now?" I asked, flicking his nose. I noticed everyone was done, so I stood from the table, inviting the rest of them to come along too. We may as well go and wait for the next stage.**

**When we arrived in the empty hallway, they were all confused, thought I had gotten us lost.**

**"I've lived here my whole life, I don't get lost." I snapped, pointing to the metal door behind me. Tris, Christina, Will and Al all looked at it then back at me, still confused. "There is the next stage."**

**"What is it?" Al asked, looking at it in confusion. No one had told them what awaited them on the other side of that door, they couldn't prepare for it anyway. "It seems all the dauntless-born know what to expect. How is that fair?"**

**"No, you're wrong." I replied, giving him a glare. I hated to think that all the transfer's thought the only reason we were better is because we knew what was coming. "No one can prepare for this, no matter how much you know."**

**"Why is that?" Christina asked, trying to look through the glass panel on the door, but it was one way glass. They could see out, but we couldn't see in. **

**"Because what you will face isn't physical, all the data that you will encounter is taken straight from your deepest depths." I said abstractly, hoping someone would figure it out. Seeing as they all remained silent and stared at me as if I wore abnegation clothes, I decided to key them in. "Don't you get it? They're going to hit you with everything they've got. You're fears are coming out to play today and there is nothing you can do to stop them."**

**Soon after, everyone else arrived, Four in the lead, as we all sat against the walls. Four stood before us, his arms crossed. His hard eyes glanced over us, making sure we were all here before speaking.**

**"From now on, you will be training together. I hope you get on well, but then again, I don't care if you don't. All I can say is I hope you know yourselves well enough to tell a nightmare from reality." Four said, before disappearing behind the door I had pointed out earlier. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair, nervously. I was scared now, of course I would be. Everyone is. No one is fearless and right now, I knew that I was going to go through hell and back behind that door.**

**"Zania is scared? What the hell are we going to see behind there?" Peter called out loudly, drawing everyone's attention to him and myself. I wasn't the only one looking scared. All the dauntless-borns knew what was coming, we were all scared. **

**"Peter, if I was you, I would just shut up." I reply softly, knowing that we didn't need arguing right now, if anything, we needed something to distract us. Lynn decides to pipe up.**  
**"So," she says, scuffing the floor with her shoe. She sits on the right side of Uriah, across from me. Uriah catches my eye and beckons me to go to him, so I did. He wrapped me into a hug. "Which one of you is ranked first, huh?" **

**At first no one replies, until Peter clears his throat, smirking lightly, "me." **

**"Bet I could take you." Lynn says it so casually, but I knew she probably could. Peter was strong, but his mentality and planning was not, we had the same flaw I suppose. "I'm third, but I bet any of us could take you, transfer."**

**"I wouldn't be so sure about that, if I were you," Peter says, his eyes glinting. Then again, Lynn was cocky and arrogant, so maybe Peter could take her on. If it ever happened, they really would have to be careful. They'd be pretty evenly matched. "Who's first?" **

**I laughed, as if it should be obvious. I have spent the last week with him, I thought I had shown off more than that. I needed some credit around here. **

**"Zania." She says, her eyebrow raised as if they should already know that. All the transfers looked at me in shock. I didn't know why they were surprised. I huffed, offended by their incredulous looks. "Uriah is second, barely I heard."**

**"What did you get?" I asked him, looking into his eyes. Uriah grinned proudly, announcing he got a 22 out of 30. The transfers looked confused, probably because they weren't told their mark. It would only confuse the more. "Only 22?"**

**"What did you get then, smart ass?" He asked, tapping my forehead. I grinned, feeling extremely proud of myself. I knew I was first, but by 5 points? That's huge. It makes a lot of difference here. **

**"I got 27 out of 30." I shrugged casually as Uriah gaped. It seems Lynn threatened the others, but I didn't hear it, because four walked out, calling her in. Suddenly, I got really nervous again. Uriah pulled me close to him, resting my head on his shoulder. It was going to be a long day and unfortunately, I knew there was going to be more.**

**I was called in fourth, my nerves and fright coming back in full force as I stood and made my way into the test room. Immediately, my eyes honed in on the test chair like in the aptitude test rooms. Four stood beside me patting the chair for me to sit on. My fears were coming alive. We were being put into a simulation to face our fears and there wasn't anything we could do but to try and face them.**

**"The simulation will teach you to control your emotions in the midst of a frightening situation." Four explains, wiping an alcohol swab across my neck. I move my hair and await for the needle to pierce my skin. I don't feel it, reminiscent of the years of torture I put myself through. I guess sometimes it did make me stronger. **

**Four made his way back to the table behind a computer monitor, confusing me. He didn't attach any wires to monitor my simulation. I didn't know the serums were so advanced. "There's a transmitter." **

**"Yes," Four gives me a curt smile, as my vision starts to waver. I can feel the simulation beginning to take effect. My sweats were only getting worse, anticipating what I may face. I took a deep breath. I was dauntless. I could do this.**

**When my eyes next open, I am all alone. I wasn't in the training room, or a bathroom like I had expected. No, this was another fear. One I didn't know I even had. I looked around, it was nothing but a black abyss. I couldn't see anything, or hear anything. However I knew this wasn't the fear. The worst was still to come. I didn't mind being alone. My heartbeat didn't speed up, in fact the darkness calmed me, preparing me. Until it started.**

**I heard footsteps. Slow and even. One step. It was from my left, but nothing was there. Two steps. On my right. I found myself turning around anxiously trying to find the source of the steps. Soon enough, I could hear thousands of steps around me, but still I saw nothing. I was starting to feel the nerves again, but still I wasn't afraid. I was confused. A chill ran up my spine, as if someone had touched my lower back. I turned, no one was there. Suddenly, I felt constricted. Like there were arms wrapped around my holding me in place. A set around my arms, legs and torso. I felt a pressure on my face, as if a hand was sliding across it. I glanced down, and that was exactly what I saw. Many hands were reaching for me, constricting me. I was starting to panic.**

**I attempted to yell out, tell the things to get off of me, but I couldn't. One had a hand wrapped over my mouth, holding it closed. More hands came at me out of the darkness, big red eyes slowly appearing in the distance. The figures began to take shape. Deformed humans were forming, with mangled body parts, strange mutations. But they weren't human. They were a shadow color. An apparition if you will. Their eyes, I noticed, were red from blood that was seeping out of their sockets. I couldn't move. I struggled, trying to force the creatures of me, my screams of terror muffled by the many hands now covering me. I was stuck.**

**I felt hot tears streaming down my face. I didn't know what to do. I knew I had to calm down, but I couldn't. How could anyone be calm with this situation? I wrenched one arms free, the hands holding on, trying to pull it down to restrict me again, but I fought against them. I screamed through closed lips, trying my hardest to lash out, but I couldn't. My emotions were running to high. I was too scared. I was terrified. I had never felt fear like this before. I was sweating so bad. More tears flowed, but they felt different. They ran in a continuous line down my cheeks, hotter than before. I managed to get my hand to my face long enough to see the blood that was on it. I was turning into one of them.**

**Angered, terrified and exhausted, I decided I had to finish this. I screamed, fighting as hard as I could against the things that held me. I could feel their resolve wavering, but so was mine.**

**"No!" I screamed, exploding with energy. The hands retreated, some even sent flying backwards. I puffed, heaving gasping for breath. I swiped dramatically at my face as the simulation ended. **

**"That was the worst thing I have seen in my life." I gasped, still rubbing harshy at my face. I can feel the hands lingering on my body; feel the blood staining my cheeks. I can still feel it all! "It won't go away!"**

**"Calm down, Zania." Four said softly, placing his hand on my head. I could feel the tears still running down my cheeks, but they were heavy. I could smell the copper scent of blood, lingering in my senses. I didn't want to feel it anymore, but it was all still so present. "Over coming fears isn't easy."**

**"You don't think I know that!?" I yelled, not caring if anyone can hear outside. I didn't need a lecture from Four. I knew as much, if not more than he did. I had lived through fears. Burning? I suffered severe injuries overcoming that one. "I know it's hard I have done it before! I don't need you to tell me otherwise!"**

**I was angry with myself. That went much worse than I was expecting. In every shadow, every hallway I could feel the presence of those things from my simulation. They were following me, following me from my mind into my reality. I stormed out of the room, and hurried down the hallway to the dormitory, where I sat in the corner of the room, where it was lit, and curled up. I couldn't face it. I couldn't shake these feelings. I slapped at my arms as the feelings returned, and rubbed my face till it was sore. I looked at the time. It was almost time for lunch, but I couldn't face it. There was too many people there, and too much darkness on the way. Don't get me wrong, the dark doesn't scare me… it's what's in the dark.**

**I didn't face or beat my fear today. If anything, this simulation made it worse. All I could think, all I could feel was what I saw inside myself. I was supposed to be strong, brave, but I couldn't. I broke down. I didn't want to move. So I didn't. I just wrapped my arms around my knees and stared at the dark corner across from me, those same, bleeding eyes staring right back at me. I couldn't move from that position for hours. I was so terrified to move, in case it came for me. It mimicked me, sat in the opposite corner, waiting for me to make a move. I couldn't blink, or it would be over. **

**This would be the end of me.**

****3rd Person!** (I have to finish this chapter in this POV because it is too short and Zania is out of action).**

**Christina, Tris and Will stood in the room, staring in concern at Zania. She hadn't moved from her position in the corner all day since returning from her simulation. In the hour since Will got back, he hadn't seen her blink once. Her eyes were locked on the far corner, where it was dark. Will didn't understand. **

**He flinched, looking over his shoulder, swearing he had heard the groans from his simulation. He looked back at Zania, suddenly understanding. This was the effects of the simulation. Everyone was going through them. Al laid in bed, unmoving. **

**After the event from earlier, even Tris didn't speak. She remembers vividly, not only the crows from her simulation, but the image of walking into the room, finding Peter amongst a crowd of the initiates, dauntless-born and transfer, excluding Zania who sat in the corner, reading out a degrading article about Abnegation and her father. It was as clear as it was when it had happened. She also remembers that Zania didn't flinch during the entire ordeal. Whatever she could see that no one else could, it has her paralyzed with fear.**

**Christina walked closer to her, but as she did, Zania began to scream. Everyone was scared. Zania clawed at her arms, legs and face, drawing blood. She rubbed at her eyes, which were now red raw. Christina stepped back, too scared to get any closer. Will moved in, trying to restrain her, but Zania screamed louder and lashed out at him, leaving four long red scratch marks down his face. Will backed up, unsure of what else to do. They couldn't let her continue to harm herself. **

**Al sat up bolt straight in his bed, hearing the commotion. He had been crying, evident by his bloodshot eyes and tear strained cheeks. He covered his ears to block out the screaming. Blood was running down Zania's face, arms and legs and she cried, scratching her arms violently. **

**Tris, Christina and Will ran from the room, hoping to find someone who could help. They ran into Four, who could hear the screaming for himself from the pit. Most of the compound could. Four's eyes were wide, he was bouncing on his heels, alert. Before anyone could say anything, another blood curdling scream echoed down the hall. Four took off, the other three in tow behind him as they ran for the dorm. Without waiting, Four busted in, the door slamming against the wall, leaving a dent. He walked slowly over to Zania, who had since dug deep gashes into her body.**

**Tris looked on in horror. It was obvious to tell that Zania wasn't consciously thinking. If she was thinking at all. She couldn't see them, only the horrors that she is imagining. "I don't understand, she seemed fine." Says Four.**

**"We heard her yell at you." Will pointed out, all of them unsure about how to deal with Zania. Christina gingerly placed her cold fingers on the scratches that ran from the corner of Will's left eye down to his jaw. They weren't bleeding, but they would show for a while.**

**"What do we do? She hurt Will and look at her!" Christina yelled above the screams. A crowd had formed around the door, Uriah being one of them. Once he set his gaze on his best friend, his eyes widened.**

**"Zania!" He screamed, running in to her before anyone could stop him. Zania only seemed to scream louder, if possible, but Uriah didn't stop. The blood, the scratches, her screaming. He couldn't handle seeing his best friend like that. Uriah continued to call Zania's name hoping it would clear her mind. He even grabbed hold of her arms, but Zania just swung her head forward in her struggle, hitting Uriah hard. The kick to the stomach was what completely made Uriah give up on her.**

**"Eric's here!" Someone called from outside the dorm, the crowd making a hole for Eric to walk through. He seemed annoyed, until his eyes fell on Zania. Instantly, Tris noted, a tear fell from his eye. Anger replaced Eric's shocked face as he swung around to face the crowd.**

**"Clear out the lot of you!" He yelled, at the top of his lungs, slamming the door closed in the process. He ran over to Zania, softly calling her name. Something in Zania's eyes changed hearing his voice. Her screaming seemed to slow. "Zania, please. Shh, it's ok. I'm here. It's Eric." **

**Four, Uriah, Tris, Christina, Will and Al all seemed surprised by Eric's actions and words. No one really knew what happened between the two. Sure they were closer than Eric has ever been with anyone before, but maybe they were closer than everyone anticipated. What surprised them most was what happened next. **

**Zania had since stopped screaming, but instead, heavy sobs wracked her body. She hadn't stopped scratching at her arms, or rubbing her face, but it had lessened. Eric took hold of her arms, continuing to speak softly to Zania as he drew her into a tight hug. Eric had shed a few more tears of distress, not knowing what to do, but whatever he had done seemed to calm her down. **

**Zania stopped scratching at herself, coming back to her senses and looked at Eric, still crying. She tightened her hold on him. "I'm sorry." She sobbed, her face buried into his shoulder. "I don't know what's wrong. It was so bad." **

**"It's ok, I am here for you. I'm always here, you know that." He whispered back to her, running his hand over her hair. Zania slightly shook her head, but didn't release her hold.**

**"You left me," She wept, her voice risen ever so slightly. Everyone else in the room was silent, watching the exchange. Even Four, who had known Eric for two years before hand, had never seen Eric so compassionate. He looked scared during the whole event, even cried for this girl he had known for a little over a week. "I woke up and you weren't there."**

**"I had to go. Max needed me. I sent Uriah to find you." He explained, leaning back to look Zania in the eye. Zania had stopped crying, a few lone tears still trailing down her cheeks. Zania laughed, a small amount of hysteria bubbling inside her. She hit Eric's chest playfully, causing him to grin.**

**"You left me on the training room floor, asshole." She retaliated. And like that, she was better. But how long would it last? Tris could see that Zania wasn't really over it and that the second Eric left her side, it would all happen again.**

**The next day of simulations come all too quick for me. I sit on the metal testing chair, trying all too hard to calm my nerves. I hadn't slept a wink in the night, I couldn't, after my fit yesterday, I was too scared to close my eyes. Someone was by my side at all times. Eric tried to get out of all his duties to look out for me, but he couldn't. He was a leader after all.**

**I talked to Al throughout the night. He couldn't sleep either. No one spoke of what it was they saw in the simulation, only of the terror they felt. How helpless we all felt. Even Uriah couldn't walk through the compound without scanning every last corner of the room. We have all been effected. **

**"You'll be-" Four cut off his sentence, seeing how I had responded to the last simulation. I fixed a cold glare on him, telling without words that he was only making it worse. Four cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head as he injected the serum into my neck. It didn't take long for the serum to take me into the simulation.**

**I awoke in a bathroom. This was the fear I was waiting for. I had beaten it before, I was confident that I could do it again. As a mirror formed, the image before me sent shivers down my spine. It was my body, but it was hard to identify me. Blood spilled over my face, arms and torso. Severe bruising covered all other visible areas of my body. The pain came, wracking my body, reminiscent of the hours of torture and physical abuse I put my body through. **

**The pain continued coming, as if someone else was still hurting me. I could see more cuts appearing on my pain skin, deep and ragged. Bruises were forming quickly, harsh and already gaining a dark purple colour. That's when I saw it. A face began to form behind me, a familiar one. Slowly the figure took shape, Eric finally standing behind me. He wrapped his arms around my stomach, almost comforting, but there was a negative aura about the situation. Instantly, Eric tightened his grip. I could feel the muscles in his arms bruising me, leaving raging red prints of his hands and arms on my bare stomach. **

**"You need this, Zania." He whispered in my ear, passing a knife to me. I took hold of the cold metal in my hands, the familiar feel and emotions equipped to this weapon flowing back into me. It comforted me, in a way. "Do it, Zania."**

**"I can't. I stopped this. I don't need to do it anymore." I explained quickly, trying to forget the feeling of sliding the blade across my wrist, or my stomach. Anywhere I could reach, I cut. I tried to place the knife onto the basin before me, but Eric held it back.**

**"Don't you remember yesterday? I had to save you. You aren't strong enough yet." He argued, running his cold, calloused hand down my arms, sending Goosebumps flaring up over my body. I looked into Eric's eyes in the mirror, him staring back. "I'll make the first cut."**

**Eric took the knife from my hands gingerly, placing the cold blade against my stomach. I took a deep breath, expecting the pain. I couldn't calm down. The memories of the feelings I got from these acts rushed into my mind and only sped my heart up more. I had to stop it now, like I had yesterday, or I won't be able to stop at all. **

**"No Eric." I spoke firmly, trying to pry his arms off of me. He made the first cut. My rejection of the emotions must have angered him, for he turned on me, his eyes hard.**

**"You need this, Zania. You want it." He purred, pushing me up against the wall. Suddenly, it wasn't the pain that made my heart race, but the proximity Eric had to me. I could feel his hot breath on my face, the blood rushing to my cheeks.**

**"I-" I wasn't sure what to do from now. I couldn't think. All I knew was that Eric was close to me, and the pain. I could feel the pain. Eric pressed his forehead against mine, ignoring the pools of blood flowing over my cheeks and eyes. I remembered where I was. "No Eric, get off of me."**

**"No." He retorted, pulling me closer to him, if it was possible. The memory of having his lips on mine flashed into my mind, somewhat cracking my resolve. The familiar warmth flooded through my veins, memory of his hands on my face. I shook my head, hoping to shake the thoughts from my mind. **

**"I said, GET OFF!" I yelled, suddenly finding myself awake and staring at the white ceiling in the simulation room. My breath was heavy, my mind racing. How did I get out? I wasn't calm? Did I face my fear? What was the fear exactly? Four looked at me shocked, or maybe disbelieving. I looked down, seeing blood running down my arms once again.**

**"You scratched yourself while under, re opened the wounds from yesterday." He quickly explained, seeing my confusion and worry. I placed my hand on them, biting my lip as the pain comforted me. Maybe I did still need it after all. I was doing it without my knowledge now. My mind thinks I still have work to do. I didn't reply to Four, only stood up and made my way for the door, only for Four to take a hold of my arm. He sucked in a deep breath and looked me in the eyes.**

**"You're Divergent, aren't you?"**

**I sat at the top of the pit, staying in the light at all times. I still had panic attacks when I was in the dark, remembering the feeling of having all those hands holding me, restricting me. I couldn't take it. **

**I was up here thinking. Thinking about everything I had found out today. Divergent? What was it, and why was it so important?**

**"_You're divergent, aren't you?" Four asked, his eyes searching my own. I stared back at him confused, unsure what he was talking about. What was Divergent?_**

**"_Divergent? I don't know what you're talking about." I replied, again trying to leave, but Four wouldn't let me. He seemed to be worried, as he glanced out of the room into the hall. No one was around to hear him._**

**"_Divergent, not having a single aptitude. Don't play dumb." Four growled softly, obviously seeing the urgency in what he was telling me. More than one aptitude? Impossible, the tests prevent it, don't they? _**

**"_I'm not playing. I have no idea what you are talking about!" I rose my voice, only for Four to shush me. Seeing how skittish Four was about this conversation, it finally sunk in that this was a serious conversation and I should be taking it seriously. "What's Divergent?"_**

**"_It's dangerous that's what it is. What did you get in your aptitude test?" He asked me, his eyes pleading me for nothing but the truth._**

**"_Dauntless." I replied, telling him exactly what I was told. My examiner seemed to see nothing wrong with my aptitude. He simply gave me my aptitude and sent me on my way._**

**"_By training or by instinct?"_**

**That got me thinking. Did I chose the knife, not because it was what I would have chosen, but because that is what Dauntless had trained me to pick? Thinking back, it seemed to be the most logical choice. What could cheese have done? But then again, I didn't know what I needed the knife for, either. Then there was the dog, on normal circumstances, I wouldn't have hurt it without provocation. Maybe I should have waited to see what it would do. Maybe I should have faced it another way. Dogs can sense fear, I should have looked it in the eye and showed it dominance. **

**"Hey." Startled, I jumped up, ready to kick who ever thought it was funny to scare me, but no one was laughing. I looked up into the eyes of Eric. I flinched, images of his sliding the knife along my stomach flashed to mind, causing me to back away from him slightly. He looked hurt, I could see it in his eyes.**

**"Sorry, the simulations have me jumpy." I apologised, sitting back down with my legs dangling over the edge of the pit path. Eric followed suit, sitting down beside me. He had a hard look in his eye, one I hadn't seen since I first met him. Obviously the events of the past week and a half affected more than just the initiates. Eric's face matches mine, dark circles under the eyes and pale skin. **

**"Jumpy." Eric snorts, but his comment wasn't humorous. If anything, he sounded mad and his comment was purely a malice snap at my understatement. I couldn't blame him. After what I put him through, it must have been bad. My scratches still weren't healed, only scabbed. "You're …you-"**

**"I don't know what you want from me Eric. So I can't handle the simulations. I got out of them didn't I? It may have taken me a while but I did it." My final comment cause Eric to stare at me in disbelief, as if I had missed something incredibly important here.**

**"You had the second fastest time.4 minutes 21 seconds." Eric told me. The news sent shivers down my spine, but not because of the time, but because someone did it faster.**

**"Who?" I asked, knowing that Eric would understand. He bit his lower lip, sucking a stud into his mouth. Looking at him now, he looked incredibly sexy, which was the first time I had thought that about him. He looked almost… nervous? I didn't want to know.**

**"Tris."**

**I walk into the tattoo parlour the next day, to see a woman named Tori. Four said that she could help me, if what I claimed was true, and that I really had no idea about what was happening to me. I was Divergent, but I didn't know what that meant. I walk in, to find that Tris had just walked in too. I find a woman sorting through a stack of papers whom I can only assume to ne Tori. She looks up at Tris, and then to me. Tris glances back at me, too.**

**"Hello Tris. And you must be Zania." She says, glancing over at another tattooist, Bud, who is too focused on his job. He is drawing a lion on another man's arm. "Let's go in the back. Zania, Four told me to expect you."**

**"I have a lot of questions that need answers." I warned her as we stepped behind the curtain that separates two rooms. I couldn't see how it would give us much privacy, but Tori seemed to trust the seclusion, and she knew more on the topic than I did. What confused me, was that Tris was here too, and would hear the whole conversation.**

**"And I hope to answer a few of them. I'm no expert, but I know a bit." Tori answered. The room we were in now contains a few chairs, and various tattoo equipment and framed artwork. Tori, Tris and I take a seat. Tris taps her foot, quite annoyingly too, while I sit patiently. I didn't even know where to start with Tris here. "What's going on, Tris?" she asks. "How are the simulations going?"**

**"Really well." Tris answers, nodding a few times as if to clarify it to herself. I scoff, because if that is what she thinks is only 'really well' I'm going to hand it to her. She took my spot in first and she only thinks it's 'really well'? "A little too well, I hear." So there it is. She is doing better than she thinks.**

**"Ah." Tori replies simply.**

**"Please help me understand," she says quietly, glancing timidly in my direction. Obviously she knew something I didn't. Of course she did, she wouldn't be here now if she didn't. "What does it mean to be…" again she hesitates, glancing at me once again and then back to Tori, "what the hell am I? What does it have to do with the simulations?" Tori's demeanor changes. Finally she seems to get serious and knows that Tris is here for a reason. She looks between the both of us before speaking.**

**"Among other things, you both… you're someone who is aware, when they are in a simulation, that what they are experiencing is not real." She says. I kind of understood that, I knew I was in a simulation the whole time. Was it not supposed to be like that? "Someone who can then manipulate the simulation or even shut it down. And also…" She leans forward and looks between the two of us. "Someone who, because you are also Dauntless… tends to die."**

**I don't know what to do after she says that. Die? I wasn't ready to die. I wasn't scared of dying by any shot, but I still didn't want to die. You get me? I looked at Tori, trying to make sense of what she told me. Other than dying, one thing stood out more. Tris was Divergent too. I should feel connected to her, like a small weight was lifted off my shoulders, but I don't. In fact, I hate that I share even this with her. She was me in every way. I could see that now. She may be Abnegation born, but still, she had all of my qualities, my thoughts, only I had more training. That bugged me.**

**"So I'm going to die, then?" poor, naïve Tris, still thinks she is the only one who is Divergent. As if she was something special, that no one else was. It irked me in a way that I have never been before. I was actually jealous that this girl, a transfer no less, could be as Dauntless as I was, without even having to try.**

**"Not necessarily. The Dauntless leaders don't know about either of you yet. Tris, I deleted your aptitude results from the system immediately and manually logged your result as Abnegation. Zania, you have been trained to immediately pick a weapon. You saved yourself all the trouble. But make no mistake – If they discover what you both are, they will kill you." The room falls silent and Tris finally realizes she isn't the only one. I found the new information hard to believe. Eric wouldn't have me killed just because my aptitude was indefinite. I still didn't understand what was so wrong with being Divergent. If there were murders happening, I'm sure we would have heard about it by now.**

**"You're paranoid," Tris says, waving a hand dismissively. "The leaders of the Dauntless wouldn't kill us. People don't do that. Not anymore. That;s the point of all this… all the factions."**

**"Oh you think so?" Tori leans in close to Tris, her eyes narrowed, challengingly. Suddenly she looks angry and her features are taut. "They got my brother, why not you, huh? What makes you special?"**

**"Well for starters, I'm Eric's best friend." I mindlessly stated, not really noticing that I had back chatted her. Tori switched her eyes on me, quite annoyed that I would openly challenge her like that.**

**"Like that will save you?" She spat in reply.**

**"Your brother?" Tris says.**

**"Yeah. My brother. He and I both transferred from Erudite, only his aptitude test was inconclusive. On the last day of simulations, they found his body in the chasm. Said it was a suicide. Only my brother was doing well in training, he was dating another initiate, he was happy." She shakes her head dismissively, unbelievably. "You have a brother, right, Tris? Don't you think you would know if he was suicidal?"**

**"Looks to me that they are only going after Transfer's. People who might not have true loyalty to Dauntless. What have I got to lose? I chose Dauntless over my own intuition." I replied once again, still not sold that Eric would actually let them kill me over something I didn't even understand. Maybe Tori's brother's death was an accident and they are just reading too much into the situation.**

**"You're so Naïve." Tori shakes her head, glaring in my direction.**

**"I'm just saying the facts aren't in your favour. Maybe your brother's death was a stupid accident?" I countered once again. I spot the tattoo of a river on her arm where her sleeves are rolled up. What she told me wasn't enough to solidify any crazy assumptions.**

**"In the second stage of training, Georgie got really good, really fast. He said the simulations weren't even scary to him… they were like a game. So the instructors took a special interest in him. Piled into the room when he went under, instead of just letting the instructor report his results. Whispered about him all the time. The last day of simulations, one of the Dauntless leaders came in to see it himself. And the next day, Georgie was gone." These accusations of conspiracy are quite harsh, so harsh in fact, that it could get Tori into a lot of trouble. But what she said didn't fit. If he wasn't scared, then why was I? It all must be a mistake, because I reacted the worst to all of this. No one else freaked out like I did. I am better now, but the first simulation messed me up good.**

**"Is that all it is?" Tris utters. "Just changing the simulations?"**

**"I doubt it." Tori retorts, "but that's all I know."**

**"How many people know about this?" Tris enquires. "About manipulating the simulations?"**

**"Two kinds of people." Tori says. "People who want you dead. Or people who have experiences it themselves. Firsthand. Or secondhand, like me." **

**So how does Four know about it? He was able to inform me that I was Divergent, so he must know quite a bit about the topic. So is he Divergent? Was a family member? It was hard to tell, you can never be so sure.**

**"I don't understand," Tris slurs, "why the Dauntless leaders care that I can manipulate the simulation."**

**"If I had if figured out, I would have told you by now." She presses her lips together. This rings a bell. That feeling I had. The one where the leaders were planning something big. Maybe this had something to do with it. But it was still hard to believe. "The only thing I've come up with is that changing the simulation isn't what they care about; it's just a symptom of something else. Something they do care about." Tori took a hand from each of us in one of her own. "Think about this," she says, "these people taught you how to use a gun. They taught you how to fight. You think they're about hurting you? Above killing you?" She had a point. Eric had Four throw knives at Tris, he dangled Christina over the chasm. Maybe the idea wasn't so far-fetched after all. "I have to go or Bud will ask questions. Be careful, both of you."**

**I saw Eric that afternoon, but things were tense. It was as if he recognized that I knew something that I shouldn't know. We were sitting at the top of the pit, where the train stops, looking out over the city. It was silent. Neither of us knew what to say, and I hated the silence. After what had happened, with the simulations, I still couldn't have him too close to me. Because I knew given the chance, he could hurt me. I wasn't scared of the pain, more of losing him, I suppose. I don't really know. That dream confused me.**

**"You're an idiot." Eric said at last, but it wasn't the greeting I was hoping to receive. Our relationship was so strange. We kissed, but nothing happened after that. He left me alone in the training room after all. I sent him a glare.**

**"Oh yeah? What for?" I replied, not thinking too much of it. I had done a lot of stupid things in the last few days. Going to see Tori was one of them. I still didn't believe her accusations against the Leaders, even though I knew they were capable of something like that.**

**"Trusting me." Eric looked me in the eye, with a sly smile. I narrowed my eyes, confused to why he would say that. It is not like he has done anything to make me not trust him, I mean, he was there during everything even when I was acting as completely un-Dauntless as possible. Eric stood up, pulling me to my feet with him and swooped me into his arms. Now I understood his sly grin. Eric tossed me onto the train as it passed, climbing on after me.**

**"Eric! I wanted to sleep." I pouted, sitting against the wall of the train. Eric shook his head at me in amusement, sitting beside me. He pulled me into him.**

**"Get some sleep, we have a bit of a trip ahead."**

**AN: Before we get started….. I GOT FOUR! Hehehehe and I got my mum hooked on Divergent hah! Now she is reading the mortal instruments :P anyway, carry on!**

**When I next opened my eyes, Eric was shaking me awake from beside me. I awake with a start, ready to head off as soon as possible. He pulled me to my feet and to the side of the train, where it stops at the fence. I looked in confusion at Eric, who pulls me off the motionless train.**

**"Why are we here?" I asked as I follow quickly behind Eric as he leads me up the fence. He didn't say anything until we stopped two rows up, as high as you can go. We sat down, our legs hunched up under us. I get the feeling we are trying not to be seen.**

**"To watch the sunset." Eric said tensely and sarcastically, but his eyes were drawn on a small group of people below us. My sharp eyes picked out Jeanine Mathews, of Erudite meeting up with Johanna, the leader of Amity. We slowly inched to the right, so that we could hear what they were saying, but it was hard. Obviously, more was happening behind the lines than even Eric knew himself.**

**"You either join us or leave us. There is no third option." Jeanine snapped at Johanna, who flinched back reflexively from the harshness in Jeanine's voice. Jeanine got right into Johanna's face, to make her point, very clear. "If you are found to be harboring divergent or any refugees, you will be killed."**

**"Divergent?" I asked Eric, who practically ignored me. **

**"I will not sit by as you slaughter an entire faction." Johanna replied calmly, but I could see the anger flaring in her eyes. By the smirk on Jeanine's face, she could too. She could see the Amity ideals slipping from its leader right before her eyes.**

**"You will, or you help. No if, buts or maybes. You have one week to tell me your decision." Jeanine smiled a sultry grin as she walked back towards her cars, her pose following close behind her. I had never heard something so bad in my life.**

**"Eric." I began, but I didn't know what to say. He sat back against the fence and looked me straight in the eyes. "What's a divergent? Did you know Erudite is planning on killing people? Are we supposed to be fighting with them?"**

**"Slow down." Eric snapped. He ran his right hand across his face, in frustration, eyebrows creased. I could see that he was contemplating his thoughts, but the way he looked at me, also told me he was expecting something from me.**

**"We do, don't we?" I asked, calmer this time. Eric took a sharp breath in through his nose and nodded his head, confirming my previous thoughts. I had the feeling that the Dauntless leaders were planning something big, and now I knew what it was. I didn't like it one bit. We were trained to be brave, and to protect our society, not to mutilate and destroy it. "You can't agree with that!"**

**"I can and I do." Eric replied smoothly, biting on the ring in his lip which told me he didn't completely agree with his statement. There was a part of him that didn't agree with the choice the leaders have made. "Abnegation are hoarding what we call 'divergents'. These people are very dangerous and must be eradicated."**

**My heart beat sped up. They were looking for the divergent? I thought back to my conversation with Tori, and knew that she was right. The leaders would kill me, including Eric, if they ever found out about me. I was divergent. I could manipulate the simulations in order to escape because I was aware. My brain is different, and it is dangerous. "Not everyone will willingly fight the abnegation." Tris' face came to mind. She was Abnegation born. There is no way that she would attack her parents if she was told too. No, she is divergent, she would fight with them.**

**"That's why everyone is getting injected with a simulation making them more vulnerable to suggestion." Eric explained, holding up a small vile of yellow liquid. I knew that we really were in trouble. They were going to force us to fight, me included.**

**"What are the divergent? What can they do that makes them so different?" I ask.**

**"They don't belong to any faction. The divergent, they can manipulate and adapt simulations because of it. They can break free." He sighed and looked me in the eye. I knew what he was next going to say would break us apart forever. "You will fight, or I will kill you."**

**The words mirrored so well what Jeanine had said that chills spilled over my arms and legs, I flinched back from him, naturally, and leant against the back support across from him. Eric's expression didn't falter. **

**"I'll be put under the simulation then, no matter how much you care?"**

**"No matter what I care about," Eric began, "My faction, and their survival, always comes first."**

**When we returned back that night, the tension was back between us, but this time I knew there was no getting through it. He was making me a pawn in their game, or he was going to kill me if I argue. Tori was right. I can't even trust Eric. Four days passed since that rendezvous. Eric hadn't spoken to me. I had done my simulations, had dinner and went to bed. Repetitive and comforting. I escaped the madness of my fears that way. **

**When I get back to the room that night, after facing my faceless man fear once again, I find Eric standing in the middle of the room, with the other transfers gathered around him for the stage two rankings. This is the first time I had seen him in four days, and somehow he looks different. There are dark bags under his eyes and he makes every possible move to avert his eyes from mine. I could see that he regretted telling me what he did yesterday. Maybe he thought I would understand. But no one could make me understand how killing innocent people is rational.**

**When Eric turns the board around, I see that I am written on the board too, off to the side to compare my rank of first with the dauntless-born to the transfers. The only thing I notice is blaring and it angers me. **

**Tris is above me.**

**I sat on my bed, glaring down at my clenched fists. I could feel my nails digging deeply into my palms, causing streams of blood to run down and drip periodically onto the floor. Peter is in the second slot, pushed down by Tris. My average time was 7 minutes 50. Even being divergent. But Tris'; hers was 2 minutes 45. She was better than me and I knew it. Even as something so rare and dangerous that the Erudite are actively hunting them down, does Tris still push above me. Before Tris was getting on my nerves. Now I hate her.**

**Peter turns, his body fused with angry tension. The look he gives Tris speaks every word for him. He was angry, and he was ready to get his revenge, just like he had done to Edward. I don't condone what Peter did, but I was so angered at this point by Tris, that I didn't care if he stabbed her eye; or pushed her off the spire.**

**Peter pushes Tris against the wall, both hands on her shoulders to hold her steady. "I will not be outranked by a stiff," he hisses, his face so close that the spit from his tongue as he speaks hits her in the face. I itched for him to punch her. "How did you do it, huh? How the hell did you do it?" He pulled her forward, and surprisingly pleasurably, he slams her head back into the wall. Peter was stopped by Will. I didn't bother listening after that. I stood to my feet and stormed from the room, roughly thumping my shoulder into Tris'. She looks scared, and for obvious reasons. I was murderous.**

**I made my way to the training center, and start punching and kicking away at the punching bags, without warm up or any gear. I couldn't feel the sting in my fists anyway. I wouldn't until I stopped. My fist and knees started bleeding rather quickly, at the force I was slamming them into the bag. I screamed as my knuckles cracked under the pressure, but none broke. I could feel the pain in my hands know. I didn't hear the door open. The first time I noticed someone else in the room, was when they grabbed hold of my leg and pulled up, pushing me to the floor. I look up to see Eric.**

**"I thought I would find you here." He commented as I climbed to my feet. I began walking across the room and away from him.**

**"You care about the faction, remember? Yeah well I am making it stronger, so leave me alone." I snapped, rubbing talcum powder on my hands and taking hold of the 15 kg weight. I lifted up to my chest in one fluid movement.**

**"That's not why I'm here?" Eric replied as he crossed the room. I easily through the weight up above my head, then dropped it back to the ground, adding an extra five kg's.**

**"What, ready to control me already?" I replied back sarcastically, hoping that it would annoy him. By the tension in his jaw, I could tell I was getting on his nerves. Eric took hold of my arms and pushed me against the wall behind me.**

**"Stop." He ordered, his grip tight enough that I could feel the pain. But I didn't wince and I didn't flinch. Eric didn't scare me. He licked his lips, memories flashing into my head of the night he kissed me and how strange it seemed now. It felt more like a fantasy, than something I had actually lived through. "You're just angry. I know you. You are angry and hurt and upset because of Tris. I understand. I went through the exact same thing. But do not take it out on me and do not take it out on yourself. You are making yourself weaker, not stronger." **

**"No, you stop." I hissed. "I spent so long getting to know you. The real you. I kept going even when you pushed me away. I tried to defend myself. Protect myself from you hurting me but I couldn't. Then you drew me in again and slapped this crap in my face about how you are going to control me and force my hand into killing the people we are supposed to protect. So no, I am not taking my anger at Tris and myself out on you. I am taking my anger at you out on you. Leave me alone."**

**I left him standing there for the first time. **

**For the first time I was walking away from Eric.**

**And he just let me leave.**

**I walk through the halls near the drink fountain. I had followed Eric after dinner, to find out if he knew anything about what is going on. Unfortunately, I found out that he was meeting with Jeanine tonight, to discuss something important. I could only guess it would be about the divergent. My only comfort, is that Eric thinks I know nothing about the divergent. I know he would kill me though, if he ever found out. I followed them down here.**

**"So far there haven't been any signs of it." Eric says, his voice low and husky, trying not to alert anyone to his and Jeanine's presence. I creep closer, so that I can see the two of them. They are standing awfully close, to be able to keep their voices down.**

**"Well, you wouldn't have seen much of it yet." Jeanine replies, her voice cold and harsh. Even speaking to Eric, she was a horrible person. Her hate extends beyond that of the other factions and into her everyday companions and subordinates. She was an angry lady. "Combat training shows you nothing. The simulations, however, reveal who the Divergent rebels are, if there are any, so we will have to examine the footage several times to be sure."**

**I knew already that they were watching us closely, and actively seeking the eradication of the Divergent, but looking through the fear simulations of the initiates without any remorse; now that is just cruel. I don't think I would ever be able to watch someone else's simulations just to see how they reacted. Erudite truly go to gruesome lengths to get what they needed.**

**"Don't forget the reason I had Max appoint you," Jeanine says "Your first priority is always finding them. Always." Jeanine and Erudite's involvement in the politics of Dauntless was more severe than I had initially thought. Going so far as to plant a pawn in their game in our government? That's undoubtedly as vile as they come. To believe in the faction system, and to protect it, by violating it? Jeanine is so stupid.**

**"I won't forget." Eric replies.**

**"The same with this girl." Jeanine snaps. I flinch, knowing straight away that I am the one she is talking about. Eric doesn't get close to anyone, so when he does, its universal knowledge. "She is getting in the way and quite frankly, her results show the possibility of being Divergent. I'll kill her if I have to."**

**"I know, she won't be in the way again. I've made sure of it." This conversation confuses me. Did Eric say what he did to protect me? Or say what he did because he agrees with Jeanine? I can't be sure, but this conversation is a step in the direction of uncovering the traitors within our faction.**

**I turn to head back to the dorm, but see three large people carrying someone around the corner towards the pit. I follow closely behind them, knowing that something bad was about to happen. The three larger people were dressed in all black, I could see from here, that it was Peter, Drew and surprisingly, Al and that they had Tris held tightly over the chasm. I falter in my rescue attempt.**

**"Man!" Drew exclaimed, elbowing Peter in the side and nodding his head towards me. Peter's eyes grew wide, but he left Drew and Al to hold onto Tris, who was still struggling against them.**

**"Zah," Peter whispered as he came close to me. I couldn't move, because I couldn't tell if this was what I wanted for Tris or not. I hated her, sure, but to kill her? Is that really the kind of person I was? "She is pushing you out of the ranks too, there's no denying it."**

**"How do I know you won't do this to me too?" I ask, the second it comes to my head. Once I'm first again, that puts me next on Peter's to kill list. I wasn't sure if I could trust him not to endanger my life.**

**"You're different to them." Peter whispers and the scary thing is, I believe him. He is Candor, their lying tells are so obvious it hurts, but Peter's eyes are sincere, and he said it without flinching. He was telling me the truth, and that scared me. "Stronger, braver."**

**"That means nothing." **

**"No you're right." Peter says. "That is no reason to not do the same to you. But this might." Then he kissed me. I was frozen in shock. This kiss is different from the one I shared with Eric, and even the one on the cheek I received from Uriah. This kiss was sincere, but also hesitant. Something Peter knows is holding him back, and I can bet it has something to do with Eric. Before I can make a decision on what to do, a fist slams into the side of Peter's head. I instantly react, but find myself easily pinned by Four, who had come to Tris' rescue. **

**"Leave now, or Eric will be involved." Four hisses into my ear. "This isn't like you."**

**"You don't know me." I growl and lift my knee into his chest, pushing him off of me swiftly. I ran towards Drew and Al, Drew already having released Tris. I took hold of her collar and turned with my back to the chasm. "You lose both of us, or you let me go, Four. Make your choice."**

**"Let her go, Zania. You're just upset, I get it." Four held his hands up in surrender, but I can see him creeping closer. Peter is looking up, his bottom lip caught between his teeth, eyes wide. He looked worried.**

**"Back up." I spat, stepping back closer to the edge. I wouldn't actually jump, but playing on Four's affection for Tris might just do the job. Four listened, and back up. As Peter stands to his feet and runs, I give Tris back to Four. Drew is unconscious and Al had fled also. "Get her out of here, before either of them try for round two."**

**"You saved her, why?" Four asked, his eyebrows knitted together.**

**"Don't make me change my mind." Then I took off, but I ran straight past the transfer's dormitory and up into the spire, where Eric's room is located. When I get there, I hoped Eric had returned for the night. A sharp knock on his door revealed that he was, as he answered the door in just his boxers. He glared at me, but the look turned to shock once he realized it was me.**

**"Let me in? Please." I say quickly before Eric has the chance. Eric watched me for a few moments before stepping aside and letting me in. Once I get past that obstacle, I can take in his appearance. Eric is fit, his abs toned and beautiful. I try not to notice much else. Eric pulls on black slats and sits on his bed. I do the same. "I know that we aren't exactly talking but I didn't know what else to do."**

**"Get to the point." Eric grumbled, keeping his distance from me and avoiding my eye contact. He knew what he might see in my eyes would break him. I knew it too, which was why he avoided them. I knew him better than I thought.**

**"I actually could have killed someone tonight. Someone innocent. I-" I didn't know what I came here to tell him. Now that I am here, I'm certain I just wanted his comfort. Eric looked at me, shocked once again.**

**"Who?" Eric asks**

**"Tris." I say without thinking, but also because I found it hard to lie to Eric. Being divergent and lying to him about it was one thing, but I was sure Eric wouldn't kill me for trying to kill Tris. He would be the first to jump at the chance to do it for me. "She was being attacked and I was going to save her, until I realized it was her and. I don't know."**

**"Why did you come to me about this?" Eric inquired, finally seeming to relax.**

**"I don't know. I just did." I replied softly, worried that he might still get angry with me. I was certain he wouldn't kick me out of Dauntless for this, but Eric can be very unpredictable at the best of times. "I as about ready to pitch the both of us over the chasm."**

**"Both of you?" Eric's voice suddenly rose a pitch, his eyes wide by the sudden revelation. I shrank back, still weary and scared from the events of the night. Dauntless may not be cowards, but my acts tonight showed just how cowardly I am, and Eric sees it too. "Why?"**

**"Because I am a coward. I want to be the best, but I can't with Tris in the picture."**

**"I was the same with Four, believe it or not." Eric stated, leaning back on his hand, relaxed again. "He was always better than me. A stiff of all people." Eric sighed, whilst my eyes widened, finding out that Four, too, was abnegation. This only led me to believe that he was Divergent, too. "He was undefeated in hand to hand combat, had the fastest times in the simulations and the landscape. I just couldn't beat him. Even Max preferred him."**

**"But you became leader anyway. Didn't Four get offered it too?"**

**"Four dropped out. Said he couldn't handle the stress." Eric snorted, shaking his head disbelievingly. "I knew better than that."**

**Plus Jeanine helped you in. I wasn't going to tell him that I overheard their conversation. That would definitely push him over the edge.**

**"Zania," Eric began again, "Agree to fight with us, and I can save you from the simulation."**

**"I can't kill people Eric. I saved Tris tonight too, no matter how much I despise her." I sighed and bowed my head in disgrace. "I'm a coward. I don't deserve to be Dauntless."**

**"No." Eric spat "Admitting that you are a coward to me of all people proves just how much you belong here." Eric's words were sincere, he truly believed it. I could see that much in his eyes. He really believed I could do this. **

**"I still won't kill anyone."**

**"Don't worry." Eric whispered, taking my hand and leading me to his door. It was getting late, and I really needed to get back to the transfer's dorm. I had to hope Peter wasn't there. I cannot face another confession. "We can talk about this another time. Good night."**


End file.
